Haunted Angel
by drotuno
Summary: The FOURTH in the Angel Series. Its a year later. When the Cullens move to a new home, Edward begins to hear something he can't explain. Is it a ghost or is he losing his mind? As always, there's love, angst, and music, plus old friends & new. AU/slightly-OOC Canon couples E/B Lemons/language
1. Chapter 1

**A/N... Goodness, I never thought I'd be here again...at least not with this set of characters. :) It's been 2 years since I finished _An Angel's Promise_ and a year since I wrote the last outtake. O_o Wow! That's crazy. It so doesn't seem that long.**

**Okay, so I wanted to go over a few things before we start. Please. First, this has always been fun, lemony goodness, with splashes of music added, and that hasn't changed. This is also not going to be as long as the usual Angel stories. They averaged about 40-something chapters. This will probably be a little over half that. Okay?**

**Next, it's better if you've read the series and the outtakes because this will pick up right where the last outtake left off. I know for my new readers, that's a big deal and a lot of reading, but for those that have been following me since _Broken Angel,_ this means nothing because they've reread it a million times (you know who you are...LOL).**

**And I'm not here to drag Angelward and his Bella through hell and back, so for some that are already nervous, just relax. Enjoy the ride. Yes, it says angst, but it's not what you're thinking. This is just a different type of plot for them. (A plot I have to really, truly thank JenRar for!) It'll have a dark theme to it merely due to the subject, but if you've read me before, then you know my rules for my fics – no cheating, no tragedy, and always HEA. Mm'kay?**

**Lastly... Oh, I know some of you have favorite characters that you're just itching to see. **cough** Kevin **cough** All of them will be back, though the family in Forks (Charlie, Sue...Jake and the wolves), they don't really play too prominently in this fic. But you'll hear about them eventually.**

**With that, I give you _Haunted Angel_... See me at the bottom.**

* * *

Chapter 1

**BELLA**

"Sweet girl, would you please calm down?" Edward chuckled, shaking his head at me at the same time that he placed a hand on my thigh.

I grinned, tearing my gaze away from the car's window and landing on him. "I can't help it. I've missed them." I laughed softly, shrugging a shoulder. "They've been gone for months."

"I know, Bella," he sighed, wearing a patient smile below his warm butterscotch eyes, "but you're going to break the seatbelt."

I forced myself to sit back in the seat of his newly-acquired Volvo SUV. "Heaven forbid I harm your precious car..." I muttered with a teasing roll of my eyes, squeaking when the comforting hand on my leg suddenly attacked my side. "Okay, okay, okay," I conceded, smacking at him.

The signs for the Portland, Maine, airport came into view, and Edward cast me one more indulgent smile before turning off the highway. I opened my mouth to ask a question, but he beat me to it, having heard the question in my mind.

"Their flight is on time, love. I checked on my phone when we stopped for gas," he explained, again sounding more patient than he probably was at the moment.

Narrowing my eyes at him, I sighed. "I'm driving you crazy. I've _been _driving you crazy for the last two hundred miles."

He laughed. "Never," he said, but I was pretty damn sure he was lying. That thought only caused him to laugh harder. "I'm not lying. I promise." He pulled into a parking space in the garage, sighed, and gazed over at me. "I know you've missed them...missed all of them. You won't for long. Soon, you'll be complaining that there are too many of them in the house."

Grinning, I nodded, leaning into his hand that was now cupping my cheek. "Probably," I admitted with a giggle, kissing his lips before he got out to come to my door.

He was right. It happened all the time. We'd live together – all of us – drive each other crazy, and then we'd go off, do our own thing as couples for a few months, only to drift right back together as a family. But my family had been split apart for a few months, and I was ready to catch back up with them.

We hadn't lasted long at Rochester Academy. None of us could focus, so come spring break, Rose and Emmett had decided to pay a visit to the Denali clan as a show of goodwill. Kate and Irina were still mourning the loss of their sister, Tanya, despite all that had occurred in New York. Alice and Jasper, however, had decided to check out Mississippi and her past, visiting her hometown, her old house, and even the asylum in which she'd been committed all those years ago. Edward had said that Alice needed some sort of closure after her sire's death, so Jasper had taken her. None of us went back to school.

Edward and I had stayed with Esme and Carlisle to close up the last of our lives in New York because it was time to move on. It was decided by Carlisle, and we'd all agreed, that we needed someplace remote, someplace to take a break from schools and hospitals – though we all had a bet going to see how long Carlisle could last under a roof with all of us and _not_ work. The stakes were incredibly high.

"He won't survive it," Edward whispered in my ear as we made our way through the airport to baggage claim.

Giggling, I gazed up at him. "No...no, you're probably right. He may decide that changing us was a huge mistake."

Edward laughed, drawing the attention of a group of women walking by because yeah, he was gloriously sexy when he laughed. Whatever their thoughts were only made him draw me closer and drop a kiss to the top of my head.

"Have they landed yet?" I asked, and Edward pulled out his phone.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "Carlisle said he'd call when they landed in Rome. I'm guessing another few hours. We'll be almost at the new house by then."

I snorted softly at the term "new." It wasn't a new house by any means. It was ancient, but it suited us perfectly. I'd seen pictures when Edward and Esme were searching for a home that could contain us all. It looked like a rundown castle, completely falling into disrepair, but that was what had drawn Esme to it. She wanted a new project, and everyone was going to help.

"Hey, it was built the same year I was born. Ancient," Edward scoffed, looking terribly affronted...and adorable as he pouted.

I laughed, covering my mouth. "Sorry, baby."

He pursed his lips at me, rolling his eyes, and sighed, crossing his arms across his chest.

Standing up on my toes, I kissed his cheek. "Funny, you don't look a day over seventeen, handsome," I teased him, kissing the corner of his now-upturning mouth. "And for a hundred and fifteen, you're really, really sexy, Edward..." I purred, running my fingers through his unruly hair and smiling against his jaw when he chuckled darkly.

"Don't start something you can't finish, Mrs. Cullen," he warned with a growl in my ear as he wrapped a strong arm around my waist. "We're about to be trapped in a car with Alice and Jasper – you know, the two siblings that can see and feel everything we do."

Pouting, I sighed in complete defeat because the conveyor belt next to us kicked on, which indicated that Alice and Jasper's flight had just landed. I suddenly realized that the reappearance of family meant the disappearance of Dirty Edward, who had been roaming pretty free the last few months – well, as long as Carlisle and Esme weren't around.

Edward barked one harsh laugh. "You just _now_ realized this, my beautiful girl?"

Scowling, I pushed him back. "Shut it," I grumped. "Damn it, I'll miss him..."

I turned toward the doorway where the passengers were exiting, but I was pulled back against Edward's hard chest, his mouth right at my ear.

"He's not far, baby. I promise you," he whispered, his voice sounding like sin and thick, warm velvet. "He's merely laying low. He _will_ come out when he needs to take care of what's..._his_."

The air in my lungs left in a heavy exhale because Edward knew what he was doing to me. It didn't help that his breath tickled the side of my neck just before his lips kissed the soft spot behind my ear. God, I just loved it when he talked like that, and he knew it, fed it, nurtured it. It didn't matter how long we'd been married, how much alone time we got to spend together, or even how deeply we were connected. There was nothing like the sound of prim and proper Edward telling me in every way possible how he was going to fuck me senseless. His foul mouth was the best-kept secret in the family. There was even a bet on whether or not Edward talked dirty. The ante was enormous – cars, houses, European vacations. Everyone was in on it, and Edward and I acted like we had no idea what they were going on about.

I spun to look at him, fighting like hell to keep my eyes from blackening in want of him. "Promise?" I asked, my voice barely there.

"I fucking swear it," he growled low, raising a deadly eyebrow at me. "I'd take you to the closest bathroom now and make you scream my name just so the entire state of Maine knows who you belong to, but they're here." He jerked his chin a little toward the gate, but his warm, sweet gaze swirled black for a brief moment, never leaving my own.

Edward grinned evilly, dragging his tongue along his bottom lip. I wanted to laugh, but I didn't. This was just us, just the teasing and flirting that we'd always done. And I loved it. I loved that the intensity hadn't faded, that we wanted each other with every breath, and that it only took us the blink of an eye to lose ourselves in the little bubble we always seemed to create around us.

"Not fair, baby," I murmured, stepping out of his embrace when I heard our names called. _You so owe me, Edward Cullen,_ I thought to him before turning my attention Alice, who was making her way to us at barely a human pace.

"Gladly, Bella," Edward promised, unable to contain his chuckle.

"I missed you guys!" Alice squealed, beaming from ear to ear as Jasper dragged their things along behind him.

"Me, too," I said, hugging her fiercely.

Alice practically knocked the wind out of Edward when she hugged him, but I felt Jasper's arm drape heavily across my shoulders.

"You ready to get your construction on, Bella?" he drawled in my ear.

Rolling my eyes, I sighed. "Ugh, no. I think Esme bought the biggest, ugliest project she could find just to keep us all busy and under the same roof for a while," I told him. "And notice she's not starting it with us..."

He grinned, squeezing my shoulder, and said, "We've got this. Don't worry."

"Come on, love," Edward said, holding his hand out for mine. "If we get on the road now, we'll make it right on time to meet the realtor for the keys by morning."

"We'll make it," Alice said knowingly, turning to me. "And the house will be perfect when we're all finished. Besides, the newest members of the family must learn to appreciate hard work."

Edward, Jasper, and I laughed, shaking our heads.

"Poor Adrian. He'll have no idea how to contain the hurricane that is Kevin once decorating comes into the picture," I said sarcastically, but in all reality, we were all excited to finally have Kevin and Adrian join us.

They'd taken the year to allow Kevin to adjust to his immortality and Adrian to get used to the vegetarian diet. In fact, it was Carlisle and Esme that were picking them up in Italy. We were all meeting at the new house.

As we made it to the car and loaded Alice and Jasper's luggage into the back next to ours, I asked, "So...how was the south?"

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

The girls chatted endlessly in the back seat as I made my way back out onto the highway. Their thoughts were happy that they were reunited, which only caused Jasper to push that happiness back out into the car. Once they were deep into talk of sunshine, hot weather, and the fashion in Atlanta, Jasper turned to me.

"When are Rose and Em meeting us?"

"End of the week," I told him. "They want to drive. Something about hunting in Canada along the way."

"And the rest?"

"Carlisle reserved a private plane for next Monday...just as a precaution for Adrian and Kevin." I sighed, smirking over at his chuckle because his thoughts were along the same lines as Bella's had been. "Right. We get the enjoyable job of starting this thing. The realtor said we've got our work cut out for us because no one has lived in this house for over ten years. It'll have to be completely gutted in some rooms."

He laughed and groaned at the same time, his head falling back to the headrest. "Good thing we don't sleep."

"Exactly," I agreed.

It wasn't the first time that Esme had decided to completely redo a house. Though, this was the first time since my Bella had joined the family. It was tedious, dirty work. Our strength, speed, and – like Jasper had mentioned – lack of the need to sleep made the work go by quickly. However, this was an extremely large house, with several bedrooms, three floors, a rather large basement, an attic, and a back deck – all of which needed tending to. Esme had bought it at an estate sale, so there were things that were left inside from previous owners that needed to be thrown out. It also was located just outside a small town. Esme had put the four of us in charge of getting things started. I'd already ordered a construction dumpster to be delivered, had some supplies ready to be picked up, but there was still the matter of meeting the realtor, getting the keys, and starting the cleanup of whatever stuff had been left behind. Because we were starting right away, the utilities were already on.

"Mom said to salvage whatever original parts we could," I said, laughing when he groaned again.

"Of course she did," he sighed.

Despite our sarcasm and complaining, it didn't really take much for Esme to convince us to take on this project. It was a chance to take a break from the facade we put up for humans. The house was located just outside Caribou, Maine, and it was deep enough in the woods and far enough away from humans that we could relax for a few years, especially under the guise of not only renovating a home, but that all of the "kids" were being home-schooled – the latter part having been suggested by Bella. We could still play the part of the adopted and foster children of Carlisle and Esme Cullen, but we didn't have to lock ourselves down to the tedious schedule of high school. After a little research, we discovered that home-schooling was becoming a much more widely accepted form of education, not to mention extremely easy for us to fake work, tests, and participation.

The drive north through Maine was scattered with small towns, the occasional conversation, and plenty of music. By the time we crossed over into Caribou, the sun was rising to a fairly cloudy day – a large reason that we'd picked Maine. Caribou claimed that it had an average two hundred and nine overcast days a year. It was only behind Forks by a few days.

"At least it's bigger than Forks," my sweet girl muttered sarcastically from the back seat.

"But smaller than Rochester," Alice sighed, her mind already forlorn at the minimal shopping she'd be able to accomplish in Caribou. When I laughed, she slapped my shoulder. "Shut up, Edward!"

"Relax, darlin'," Jasper soothed, unable to hold back his snicker. "There's always New Brunswick," he suggested. "It's just across the border."

That seemed to placate Alice for the moment, but she was already making a list of websites that she needed to order from.

I continued through town, driving slowly enough that we could see it, but we were nearing the time that the realtor, Mrs. Delap, was to meet us at the house. I could see that Caribou was the typical smaller town. Strip malls, drug stores, and large chain discount stores were everywhere. There were a few bars, a movie theater, and plenty of fast food places. However, they became fewer and fewer as we neared the far side of town.

"She's already here," I told them as I pulled into the long driveway that could barely be seen just off the main road leading out of town. "Let's get this over with."

I pulled up next to a burgundy Ford Expedition and the construction dumpster that had already been delivered, turning off the engine. I had to chuckle at Bella's mind because she was kind of right. Up close, the house looked like a rundown castle. Its gray stone walls had ivy growing up one side, there were a few windows that needed to be replaced, and there was even a part of the attic that looked like damn tower.

"Come on, Rapunzel," I teased her, grinning when she scoffed at me. "You can let down your hair once we get the keys and do the walk-through."

She rolled her eyes, thinking she didn't fit Rapunzel, but Belle from _Beauty and the Beast_ instead – something about the love of books and the color of their hair.

"Call me Beast, and you will pay, Isabella," I growled, which caused our siblings to roar into laughter. "I wasn't _that_ bad when we met."

"Yes, you were," Jasper and Alice chanted together.

Bella fought her smile, glancing briefly over to the woman that was waiting for us at the front door. My girl held up her thumb and forefinger about an inch apart. "You were just a _little_ cranky, baby. But I fell in love with you anyway."

I harrumphed, rolling my eyes and turning my attention to Mrs. Delap. She was eying us with way too much curiosity for my liking. She was an older woman, with graying hair and a round physique. Even from the driveway, I could smell the ketchup that had spilled from her lunch. She liked her fast food. Her mind – which had been going over her schedule for the rest of the day – was now taking in the "kids" that she'd been asked by Carlisle to meet. He'd told her that we'd be taking possession of the house in his place, as he was picking up two new foster children from overseas.

We fit the ages she'd had in mind, but she hadn't been prepared for our looks or our money. Our clothes and my car were one thing, but she was well aware that the house had been paid for in full. This particular house had been on the market prior to her even getting her realtor's license. The fact that it was bought sight unseen, paid for in full, and going to a large family was a shock to her.

"Mrs. Delap?" I asked, trying to read her mind while remembering my manners. When she nodded, I smiled, offering her my hand. "I'm Edward Cullen. I'm sorry if we're late."

"No, no," she replied with a chuckle, waving off the apology. "I was early. I wanted to make sure all the keys worked for you."

"Thank you. This Alice, Jasper, and Bella," I introduced.

Mrs. Delap was shocked at my manners, wondering why her own teenage daughter couldn't find a boy so well-behaved. But she smiled pleasantly, shaking my wife's and my siblings' hands all the same. Her mind was skirting just on the edge of thinking Alice and Jasper were more than just siblings when I interrupted her.

"My father asked us to do the final walk-through for him," I urged her, but it wasn't truly necessary. It didn't matter what was broken, in disrepair, or left behind. We would be taking care of all of it. Plus, I could see by Alice's mind that the woman wasn't going to let it slide.

"Well, let's get started, Edward," she said, taking out the keys and opening the door.

"Cree-_py_," Bella whispered just low enough the human didn't hear her, gazing around.

Jasper snorted, shoving her playfully. "Looks like Dracula's house," he egged her on.

"Emmett's gonna love this place," Alice added with a chuckle, her nose wrinkling in disgust. "He'll want to keep it just as it is."

Grinning, I nodded in agreement but followed Mrs. Delap around, playing the dutiful son. I nodded when she pointed out the older copper piping, the spots on the roof that needed repair, and even managed to steer her upstairs in order to get the walk-through finished. The more I saw, the more I started to agree with Bella. The house gave off a strange odor and an even stranger feel to it, though I tacked it up to being uninhabited for the last decade. There were leftover pieces of furniture, a few crooked doors, and just about every inch of the wood flooring would have to be either buffed or replaced.

Once we'd seen the second and third floors and the attic, we landed back down on the first floor to see Bella sliding open two doors to reveal a library.

"Oh, wow," she breathed, immediately stepping into the room. _Edward_ _totally should put the piano in here_, she thought to herself.

Fighting my smile, I walked to the doorway, my eyebrows raising high. It was a large library with a high ceiling, complete with shelf upon shelf of aging books along three walls, an enormous fireplace, and tall, arch-topped windows facing the backyard, which included the woods surrounding us. My sweet girl was already lost in titles and authors as her small finger trailed spine after spine. She'd already found her favorite room, and we hadn't even moved in yet. The thought made me chuckle and fall just a little bit deeper in love with her.

"The books come with the house," Mrs. Delap said from behind me. "They simply get passed on every time someone moves. Though, I'm afraid some of them may be ruined from the harsh weather."

Bella frowned, looking like someone kicked a puppy in front of her, and then glanced over the shelves again. "That's a shame..."

The woman gestured toward the windows. "Well, couple years back, some windows were broken. We don't know if it was the blizzard that blew through here or rambunctious kids, but this room saw the worst of it. We sorted through them as best we could once the damage was repaired, but we may not have gotten it all."

My gaze snapped from Bella to Mrs. Delap when her mind skirted across the real reason most people thought the place had been damaged. The whole town considered this house to be haunted. At her own thoughts, the human's heart thudded just a touch harder, and her frame shuddered.

"Are you kids staying here alone?" she asked, suddenly concerned for our well-being.

"Yes, ma'am," Bella answered, joining us at the door and giving me a concerned look. _Your face looks strange, baby. What's she thinking? _Her thoughts were directed toward me, but her voice was soft and kind for Mrs. Delap. "We've got air mattresses and sleeping bags in the car. We'll be fine. Our parents will be here by the weekend." The lie rolled off her tongue smoothly, but she waited for my reply.

"Later," I answered her just low enough the woman couldn't hear me.

"Well, the temperature drops at night. You kids be careful with these old fireplaces."

"Yes, ma'am. We will," Bella and I both vowed.

"Good," she said with a tight smile. "Then let me show you the basement. We're just about done."

_Yo, Ed. That woman really, really doesn't want to go down there_, Jasper thought to me from the end of the hallway. _Her fear is making her sweaty and jittery. In fact, it's only increased the longer she's been here._

I nodded once that I'd heard him because her thoughts were running along the same line. She didn't like dark, damp, closed tight spaces, and the basement was apparently all of those things. But she couldn't decide if she believed the old rumors about this place or not. A flashing thought of the prior tenants caught my attention, but it changed as quickly as it came.

"I think we'll be okay on our own with that, Mrs. Delap," I said smoothly, letting out a slow breath when Jasper pushed a little comfort her way. "The girls want something to eat after we unload the car, so we'd better get started," I lied, giving her a brief smile at the same time I gestured toward the car. "Let me see you out."

"Oh, thank you, Edward," she sighed, again noting my manners and then switching gears on me quickly. "Will you kids be starting at Caribou High this year?" she asked.

I smiled and shook my head. "No, ma'am. We're home-schooled. Our parents are scholars, so they prefer to teach us themselves. Our father is a doctor, though he's taking a little time off at the moment."

"Not for long," Jasper sang softly behind me, which made me want to laugh.

He was betting Carlisle didn't last until the end of the month. Bella and I were thinking closer to two months. Emmett and Rose were pushing for the end of our first week here with everyone under one roof. Even Esme was in on it. She was betting he ran screaming from the house by Thanksgiving. Only Alice knew the outcome, and at the moment, she was grinning widely as she translated _Moby Dick_ into ancient Egyptian.

Mrs. Delap handed over the keys after telling me which ones were which – the front door, the back door, the garage, and the padlock on the outside basement door – once we were on the front porch.

I stepped back inside, glancing up to see Bella and my siblings waiting for me. "What?" I asked, tucking the set of keys into my pocket. I needed to have copies made for everyone.

"Well?" Bella laughed. "What had you staring at her like she had three heads?"

"Oh!" I chuckled. "She thinks – or at least the legend around here is – this place is haunted."

Jasper laughed, but Bella shrugged a shoulder, raising an eyebrow at me and saying, "You have to admit this place is creepy. I mean...all you need is the moat, and the _Beast_ would have his castle."

Ignoring Alice and Jasper, who were now in hysterics, I bolted after Bella with a growl. She'd taken off at her top speed toward the back of the house. She dodged into the kitchen, yanking open the closest door, only to disappear into darkness.

"I'll show you _beast_, Bella," I taunted her, flying down the basement steps and laughing when I was jumped from behind.

_Mmm, that _is_ a beast, isn't it? _Her thoughts were sensual and sexy.

Reaching back, I spun her around to my front and pressed her into the nearest wall. "Flattery won't save you this time." I chuckled, holding her tighter when she started to squirm in protest.

She squealed when I started to tickle her. "No, no!" she gasped, fighting uselessly against my hands. Her face was happy, silly, and just plain sweet. "Okay, okay...you weren't that cranky when we met."

I laughed. "Yes, I was," I sighed, bracing my hands on either side of her head and pressing my forehead to hers. "But you loved me anyway. You just said so," I told her, looking up at her through my eyelashes – a look I knew she couldn't resist.

She grinned, rolling her eyes, and cupped my face. "I did. Insanely enough, I did. I've never regretted a second of it, either."

I couldn't resist kissing her. I lived to see her happy, and for the last few months, she'd been absolutely blissful, despite missing our brothers and sisters. Even though we'd gone to a school that had required a uniform, she'd maintained her happiness. In fact, all through the fighting in New York with Tanya, she'd stayed perfectly content with me. She'd played, laughed, teased, and just been utterly blissful in her life with me. When I first met her, I'd never wanted to change her, but now, I couldn't imagine her any other way. She'd taken to this life better than any of us. And after a little over seven years of immortality, she was still embracing each and every day with open arms and a bright outlook.

Fingers slipped into my hair, hips pressed together and lined up perfectly, and tongues slipped languidly together as we fell into one another.

"Aw, guys... Really?" Jasper growled from the first floor.

Bella giggled against my lips, pulling back just a little, but her nose wrinkled. "God, this place smells funny."

Chuckling, I tugged her away from the wall, patting her bottom before setting her down. "Yeah, we need to air it out," I said, giving the basement a disdainful glance. "The smell is sharper down here."

The basement was brick, dark, and extremely damp. It also seemed to be almost half the size of the first floor. I could see the steps leading up to the outside at the far end, pipes running along the ceiling, and a few cracked bricks.

"We should check the fireplaces, too. The heat will take away the moisture out of the air," she suggested.

"Okay," I sighed, leading her back up to the kitchen, where Alice and Jasper were waiting for us. "Let's get started. Esme will owe us big for this."

~oOo~

**BELLA**

I leaned in the doorway of the library and shook my head slowly as I rubbed my chest at Edward's absence. It was such a waste. There was almost an entire bookshelf filled with books that had to be thrown out. There were print dates that went all the way back to the 1800s. I hated it, but there wasn't anything that could've been done to save them. I'd left this room for last because the thought of getting rid of something so old, so rare bothered me to no end.

The rest of the house was almost completely empty of leftover furniture, garbage, and ruined doors and drywall. Every fireplace had been swept out and lit, and every window had been opened for the last few days. The funny smell that had permeated the house was slowly ebbing away. While the guys worked on the roof and some of the problems outside, Alice and I had tackled the inside. We'd stripped every room, scrubbed the floors, and wiped down the walls.

We had even assigned rooms to every couple. Carlisle and Esme would be taking the master bedroom located on the first floor just on the opposite side of the living room. Alice wanted the room on the second floor because it had French doors that led out to a small balcony...and the biggest closet. They would share that floor with Kevin and Adrian because Jasper would be the most help to them once they were here. Emmett and Rose were getting the third floor bedroom, which left Edward and me the attic, and that was perfect because I loved that room. It was split-level, the raised portion of the room being the round part of the tower. It was surrounded by windows, and once the room was cleaned out, the windows cleaned, and the measurements taken to add a bathroom for us, I couldn't imagine taking any other room in the house – balcony or no balcony. The round part of the room was where the bed was going; it was a must. In fact, Edward had built us a pallet of blankets and sleeping bags right where I wanted our bed to go.

The only room none of us wanted to deal with was the basement. We were waiting for Emmett because not only did some of the bricks need to be replaced, but there were a few sections of the concrete floor that needed busting up and poured again. Knowing him, he could lift large sections of the floor without even straining. We all could, really, but we were saving it for him in paybacks for taking his sweet time joining us.

"You ready?" Alice asked, tugging the rolling garbage can behind her after taking it out to the dumpster.

"Yeah," I sighed, wrinkling my nose. "Open the windows, and I'll roll up this rug. Are the boys back yet?"

Alice rolled her eyes before wrenching up the windows. "No, but they're almost done at the hardware store. Edward's ordered your bathroom stuff. You trust him with that?"

Grinning, I shrugged a shoulder. "Yeah, he saw what I wanted," I told her, tapping my temple. "And he doesn't really care, so...there you go."

"Convenient," she teased with a giggle. "Now, imagine something shiny and expensive."

I laughed, picking up the rolled up rug. "I have plenty of shiny and expensive. Edward does really well in that department. Music?" I asked, slipping the smelly old rug into the garbage can.

"Definitely," she called over her shoulder as she began to pick up the trash.

After clearing off the mantel, I put my iPod up there with two speakers, setting the player to random. Once a fire was lit in the fireplace, I gazed around at the books on the shelves. It seemed the shelf closest to the window was the one I'd need to concentrate on. Even from across the room, I could see mold, swollen, broken spines, and ruined pages. Carrying the ladder and dragging the garbage can over, I started at the top.

"Poor guys, though," she continued, covering her mouth with her hand. "Esme just called them with a list of every color of paint known to man." She laughed, shaking her head. "Guess what we're doing tomorrow..."

"Oh, damn. You know," I growled, pointing a destroyed book at her, "I'm not so sure we haven't been set up. Everyone is taking their dear, sweet time getting here. By the time everyone arrives, this place will look perfect."

"No kidding," she agreed, laughing. "Esme's already ordered window treatments, rugs, bedding, and artwork. That'll all be here about the time everyone arrives, too."

I shook my head and went back to work, dancing a little to the music pouring out of my small speakers. I actually couldn't wait until we were all under one roof again – all the hard work aside. I wanted to know how our extended family was in Alaska, and Rose promised to tell us all about their time when they got here. I also wanted to know how everyone in Italy was doing. We hadn't seen Demitri and Carina since London. Marcus was still running the Volturi and doing an amazing, open-minded job. And then there was Kevin. When he'd finally called a couple of months ago to tell Carlisle that he and Adrian were ready to come back to the States, the girls and I had squealed with happiness over the phone. We missed him like crazy and had visited him over the year that he was gone, but it wasn't enough. He'd been changed under strange circumstances, but Adrian and he were, for all intents and purposes, our baby brothers. They also were the only male-male mates the immortal world had ever seen.

"You know...after this room and the boys polish the floors, we'll be ready for the movers," Alice noted, nodding once in a self-satisfied way. "I mean, we still have painting to do, but we can at least get our own shit in here."

I laughed, tossing a handful of old, outdated encyclopedias into the can at my feet. "Yeah, well, at least you have your own bathroom..."

"You will, too, in about..." Her eyes glazed over as she searched the future. "In about two days."

"Nice!" I grinned, shaking my head. "Until Em and Rose get here, we're using theirs."

"They'll be here by Saturday," she stated firmly.

Alice and I had gotten most of the shelves sorted, cleaned, and put back together by the time we were almost punch drunk with doing the same old thing. The floors were swept and then vacuumed, the garbage taken out to the dumpster, and the music was up as loud as we could get it. Pitbull was blaring throughout the entire house as Alice and I danced.

_In order to understand the future,  
We have to go back in time..._

I loved this song. It was the throwback to old sixties music, which only reminded me of _Dirty Dancing_. I was standing on a ladder, swaying to the beat when the scent of honey and fresh, clean linen wafted over me. Grinning and shielding my thoughts, I swayed more to the music. I turned around for the chorus, slipping down one more step on the ladder so that I was towering over extremely handsome, amused, and sweet.

_Baby, oh oh baby  
My sweet baby  
You're the one_

Chuckling at Jasper's air guitar behind Edward, I wrapped my arms around my husband's neck. He looked too delicious for words, wearing faded, slightly-worn-in-the-knees jeans, a dark gray sweater with a white T-shirt underneath, and a black leather jacket. I wanted to kiss him stupid. It was the simple, innocent things about Edward that made him so sexy, so irresistible. Add in his crooked smile, his strong hands guiding me against him as I continued to dance, and his warm, sweet amber eyes, and I couldn't help but lean down and kiss him.

"Love you," I whispered against his lips.

"Love you, too, sweet girl." He chuckled softly. "Having fun?"

"No!" I laughed, looking at him like he was crazy, which caused a laugh to bark out of him. "I think we have cabin fever."

"Well, we have to make another run," Edward said, smirking a little. "You girls want to take a break and go with us? We'll make it the last thing of the night."

I was already nodding as Alice practically screamed, "Yes!"

"I need a shower, though," I sighed, smiling when Edward lifted me off the ladder and set me gently on the floor. "I think I smell like these old books."

"You do...and cleaner and dust and..." Edward teased, shooting a wink my way when I grimaced. "Go." He chuckled, popping me once on the behind. "I'll run your water in the top floor bathroom. Get your clothes."

Edward had shed his jacket temporarily, started a warm bubble bath, and was leaning against the bathroom vanity looking at his phone when I met him in there. "Em just checked in," he said softly, holding up his phone before pocketing it. "They're stopping in Montana."

"Bear," we said at the same time with a laugh.

"Right," he agreed, taking my clothes from me and setting them aside. "Here, sweet girl, lift up," he commanded softly, reaching for the hem of my T-shirt. With gentle hands, he helped me undress and settle into the bathtub after I twisted my hair up out of the way.

Pushing his sleeves up his strong forearms, he asked me to lean forward. It was moments like this that made me love him all the more, made me feel not only taken care of, but completely and utterly cherished. Talented fingers massaged every inch of me as he washed my back, both my legs, and my arms. I smirked up at him when I realized his eyes had blackened.

"Maybe I should finish, or there'll be no going out, baby," I suggested with a giggle.

"Too beautiful," was all he murmured with a crooked smile and a shake of his head as I quickly finished up in the tub.

When I stood up, he wrapped a towel around me, setting me down in front of him. _Edward, maybe... _I thought to him, and his eyes locked with mine. _Maybe when we get back, we can just...I don't know...hang out in here tonight. Just the two of us. We can paint tomorrow._

"I was going to suggest that, but...I knew you missed Alice and Jasper," he said so softly, leaning in to trail his nose from my collarbone, up my neck, to my ear, dropping slow, wet, open-mouthed kisses along the way.

"I missed them, but maybe I feel like being selfish for a few hours," I whispered back, tilting my head so that his kisses to my skin would continue.

"Mm, I like you selfish," he purred, his teeth dragging across the place where my pulse once would've been pounding. "I like you warm and fresh out of the bath, too," he continued, his voice vibrating straight to my core, making my breath hitch a little. Inhaling deeply, he pulled back, licking his lips dangerously. "You smell good enough to...eat," he growled low, leaning on the last word for emphasis.

"Edward," I warned, wanting more than anything to take this where it always went, but I could already hear Alice's threats from two floors down. She wanted to go out.

Grinning sexily, he shrugged, kissed my lips quickly, and sighed. "Later, then."

"Please," I said simply, sidestepping him for my clothes, which I put on in a hurry so as to not tempt ourselves any further. I tugged my hair down, applied a little makeup, and put on my sneakers before walking back up to our room to see Edward holding out my jacket. "Thanks," I said, letting him help me into it.

"Ready, love?" he asked but paused for a moment. "Oh, I got you something."

"What?" I asked, smiling up at him.

"You'll see. I'll give it to you when we get back up here, okay?" he asked, tucking my hair behind my ear and kissing my forehead.

The house creaked, the settling noises of an old house echoing around us, and I linked my fingers with Edward's. "Come on. Let's go," I told him. "Even the hardware store will be a nice change from this place until our stuff gets here."

Edward laughed and led me down the stairs.

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

"That was fun..." Bella chuckled sarcastically from across the room. "I guess the town really does think this place is haunted. Their faces were...interesting when they found out where we'd moved to."

I grinned, shaking my head, and continued to light candles. There wasn't a lot of light in the attic, something that would change once Emmett and Rose arrived because with their help, we could get mine and Bella's bathroom built, check out the electric, and finish the last of the floors.

"That's sad, baby," I teased her with a chuckle. "We went to the hardware store and a drug store. You can't be that hard up for human activities. We just left New York." I ignored the haunted house statement because it wasn't exactly a bad thing that humans were wary of coming up here.

She giggled. "No, it's not that," she said, walking toward me, and I wanted to groan at the sight of her. She was only in the dark red, long-sleeved shirt she'd worn into town and a black pair of cotton boyshorts. "We've been in this house for going on four days, Edward. The walls were closing in with all the cleaning we've been doing."

That I could understand, and I nodded as I kicked out of my socks and shoes. Tugging off my shirts, I draped them across our luggage. I really needed to get to work in here...if only for her. I picked up a brown paper bag and set it in the middle of our make-shift bed.

"Where's the shoebox, love?" I asked her, smirking when her head snapped up from her phone to meet my gaze. Her mind was filled with _why_. "Just tell me, silly girl."

"That suitcase over there," she said softly, pointing toward the corner of the room.

I found the box I was looking for and toted it back to the pile of blankets. Sitting between her and the wall, I set both the shoebox and the paper bag in front of her.

"I thought this might be better than my old Nike box, Bella," I told her, inching the bag closer.

I knew for a fact that Bella never moved without that box in her own personal possession. She didn't trust her brothers not to snoop, and she never wanted it to get lost by movers, either. It was every letter I'd ever written her. From the ones I'd penned while away from her for two years that I'd never had the courage to send, to the ones I'd passed her in every class, they were all in one _tightly-packed_ box. And I'd be willing to bet they were in some sort of order.

Bella's beautiful brow wrinkled before she opened the bag. She pulled out the hand-carved wooden box I'd found at a shop in town. I'd needed to have keys made for every member of the family, and there had been a small shop downtown that not only made keys, but specialized in woodworking. The old man that owned the shop had been kind enough to engrave Cullen underneath an intricate design of hearts and music notes. It seemed fitting for her.

"Oh, it's perfect," she gushed, leaning forward to kiss me quickly before starting to transfer every letter over. Once the task was finished, she tossed my old Nike box to the side and set the wooden box next to the bed with an almost reverent look on her beautiful face. "You spoil me," she whispered, wearing the sweetest of smiles as she climbed into my lap.

"I try," I teased, placing my hands on her hips to pull her closer as I leaned back against the wall. I loved that she appreciated the simple things, though through the years, she'd gotten better at accepting the big things.

The electricity that seemed to always be around us crackled into a sparkling surge. It was there to remind us just how connected we were, just how perfect she was for me. Bella was my mate, my wife, my best friend...but she was also my c_ompleti l'anima – _my complete soul. We were connected in a way that was so very rare, even among mated immortals. We couldn't be apart, or the pain would wreck us. Too far or too long apart, and we literally ached for one another. And apparently, my brief travels into town the last few days had tested that connection. It was a fact of our relationship that we'd had to come to terms with, had to learn to manage just like our thirst. Most of the time, we succeeded, but when we didn't, our connection pulled us to one another, which would explain the last few hours when I couldn't keep my hands off of her – in the tub, in the car, even in the drug store while picking up candles.

"Did you hurt today?" I asked her, raking my fingers through her hair.

"I didn't pay it any attention." Her voice was soft, her mind honest, but her eyes were warm when they traveled over my face as her fingers traced my eyebrows, nose, lips, and jaw line. "We were busy, and you had things to do. You?"

"A little," I sighed, shrugging a shoulder. "Maybe that's why I bought you something. I needed..."

"To be closer?" she offered, and I nodded. "I knew you'd be right back. And Alice was there. She kept me talking. Maybe she knew."

"Maybe," I said with a grin. "She usually does." Allowing my mind to stretch out into the rest of the house, I found that mine and Bella's feelings had pushed Jasper too far. We weren't alone in the amorous emotions swirling around the house.

"Well, thank you again," she told me, scooting closer, which caused a moan to erupt from her because she could feel I was already hard for her.

"You're so very welcome, my sweet, beautiful girl," I told her, but I couldn't stop myself from kissing her if I'd tried.

Our kiss was almost harsh but slowed down into something soft, languid. Hands were in hair, tongues swirled, and my low growl mixed with her sweet whimper as she rolled her hips heavily over me. I was so hard that it made my breathing stop, but I gripped her hips to do it again because she always felt so good. With a quick shift, I pressed her back into the blankets, grasping at her shirt and causing it to ride up. Skin, hands, and legs – that's all I was aware of at the moment.

I rolled her onto her stomach because I needed to feel every inch of her – under her shirt, the outside of her thighs, and biting kisses over the soft cotton of her underwear. Lifting her up, I pulled her back to my chest, and her bottom rolled sensually against my erection.

"Fuck," I hissed in her ear, which caused her to gasp because she never wanted my language to reach anyone outside of our relationship. "They're busy, baby. Trust me. God, do that again," I ordered her as her ass ground against me again. One of my hands shot underneath her shirt to find her breasts bare for me while the other flattened against her stomach to slip into her underwear. "Mmm, so wet, sweet girl," I whispered, nipping at the soft spot behind her ear. "So wet, so fast, love..."

She didn't have a verbal answer for me, though her mind blamed our connection for making her so ready, so wet. I gripped the side of her shirt, dragging it upwards as she rode my fingers, trying her damnedest to get me closer, deeper, harder.

"Uh uh," I chided in her ear. "Not yet, baby. I just want you that much wetter when I taste you."

I reached for the outside of her shirt, yanking it up and over her head. It landed somewhere in the middle of blankets and sleeping bags beside us. Bella fell forward, rolling quickly and pulling me down over her. Strong legs wrapped around my hips, but her kisses were deep, slow, and so sweet as her mind showed me that she wanted to watch what I was going to do to her.

"Like this?" I asked, my eyes never leaving hers as I bent to take her nipple into my mouth. I purred low against her skin when she arch up at the feel of my teeth.

Bella's eyes were black as her feet rubbed the outside of my jeans. A wicked smile crooked up the corners of her mouth. _So hard, Edward. Looks like I'm not the only one...suffering._ She bit her bottom lip, and through her mind, I could see she loved the look on my face when she tried to make me lose control.

Grasping the outside of her panties, I drew them down her legs and off her. "I can wait for mine," I growled, nipping at the inside of her knee, "but I can't wait for this." I licked my lips at the same time my fingers slipped through wet, hot, and swollen.

Slithering down her body, I dropped open-mouthed kisses along her stomach, each hip bone, and finally, her mound. The scent of her wanting me was the most perfect combination of flowers and sugar and an earthy fragrance that was all Bella. Not giving her a choice, I spread her legs wide, dying to feast on her. And feast I did. Long, slow kisses to her core – the source of my favorite flavor – and suckles to the bundle of nerves that always caused her to cry out my name. Her thighs surrounded my head, her feet dug into my back, and I gave her what she wanted – deeper, harder, faster.

"More," she added. "God, Edward...more."

Her hips rose up off the pallet, and I slipped two fingers deep inside her, curling them just right to send her over the edge. She came with stiff legs, hands gripping the blankets, and with the most stunning face I'd ever had the pleasure of witnessing. I loved that I was the only one that had ever seen or caused that face – that open-mouthed, breath hitching, eyes rolling back face. She was never more beautiful than when she came for me. I'd seen plenty of men fantasize about it, but not one mind came even close to the beauty of Bella in full orgasm. Not one.

"Mm," I purred, crawling up her body and burying my face in her neck. "Who does that sweet, sweet pussy belong to, my love?"

"You," she panted, threading her fingers into my hair. "Only you. I want you, Edward," she stated, pulling at me until I loomed over her, my hands braced on either side of her head. "Just like this."

Both of us reached for my jeans, shoving them down. I kicked out of them, locking gazes when my heavy, almost painfully-hard cock landed on her stomach.

Without having to beg her, she reached for me, gliding her hands up and down my shaft with the perfect amount of pressure, gathering what was leaking from me with her thumb. As she guided me to her entrance, I locked eyes with her.

"Inside, Edward," she ordered. "Make love to me."

There was the command I was waiting for – something that had been swirling over and over in her mind. It was a request I'd never denied her once I'd come back into her life, even when she was human. I couldn't. When I'd returned to her, I had finally accepted that she was my mate, my only one. And there wasn't anything that could've taken me from her again.

"You own me, Bella," I admitted softly as I slid home inside her.

"I love you," she whispered in reply against my lips, her hips rolling in order to take me in even farther.

Dropping to my elbows, I pulled out just to thrust deeply back inside of her. We'd been together for so long now, made love every way imaginable, but face to face was important. I often thought it was due to our being apart for so long because I lived to watch her under me. I needed to see her face just as much as she needed to see mine. Watching her eyes that she kept a deep brown just for me swirl into black wanton need was something that would never grow old.

Lifting her leg to the crook of my arm, I took her slow and deep, with swiveling hips and angles to the spot that always made her come hard. Smothering our cries out into each other's mouths, we lost ourselves to just the feel, sound, and sight of where we were connected.

"Come for me again, sweet girl," I begged her, pressing my forehead to hers. "Let me feel it. Tell me when you're coming."

The shadows of flickering candles danced across her skin, her face, the rise and fall of her breasts as I pushed up onto my hands. My Bella was beautiful in any light – sparkling in the sun, ethereal in shadows, but unbelievably stunning in the low light of a candle.

"Now, baby," she gasped, her eyes rolling back. "Fuck," she hissed long and low as her head arched back, but the feel of her tight, wet heat contracting around me was too much. It seemed I'd been hard for her for hours, so there was no staving off my climax.

"God, baby...you feel so fucking good," I told her, burying my face in her neck as my impending orgasm finally caused me to spill deep inside of her. I wasn't finished with her by any means because I planned on keeping her in that make-shift bed at least until morning.

Trying to ignore our siblings, I pulled out of her, turning us so that I was leaning against a pile of pillows. Bella curled into me, resting her head on my chest. Her thoughts were calm, happy, and content. She pulled the covers up around us, looking up at me.

We didn't say anything. We didn't have to. I could see her mind, which she left open for me more times than not. Tucking her hair behind her ear, I smiled as the warm brown in her eyes slowly came back.

"We have a lot to do tomorrow," she said softly, trailing her finger across my bottom lip. "Don't we?"

"If you want this room, then yes," I answered with a chuckle, wrapping my arm tighter around her as I wound a lock of her hair around my finger. "Em and Rose will be here by tomorrow night. With their knowledge of wiring and plumbing, we should be able to start the closet and the bathroom."

"'Kay," she sighed happily. "Guess that means Alice and I are caulking windows and painting walls."

I chuckled again, kissing her forehead. "If you want to leave each room so that its occupants have to paint it, I don't blame you one bit, Bella." I grinned at her giggle because she truly was debating it. "The rest of them will be here after the weekend. In four days, there'll be enough help in here to finish up the majority of the work and to unpack the moving truck. After that, Esme's on her own for decorating."

Bella laughed, burying her nose into my chest. "Paybacks for all of this?"

"Absolutely!" I cracked up, pulling her on top of me so that I could graze my fingers down her smooth, silky back, only to cup her bottom. I wanted her again, and it really wasn't a secret.

I leaned in to kiss her smiling lips but froze at the sound of an unfamiliar mind.

_More... More monsters are coming? No...can't. Must...out...blood..._

That last word caused me to roll Bella off me.

"Edward, what's wrong?"

"Someone's here," I breathed, quickly tugging on my jeans and pulling my T-shirt on over my head. "Get dressed, love," I told her, but she was already zipping up her own jeans and putting on a shirt. "Jasper! Alice!" I hissed as we both met the stairs barefooted.

They both emerged from their room dressed haphazardly like Bella and I were.

"What'd did you hear, Ed?" Jasper asked, frowning because he hadn't felt a single thing.

What worried me the most was that Alice hadn't seen anyone make a decision to come near the house.

"It was strange," I breathed as we made it to the back door of the kitchen. "It was like...a radio with a bad frequency. Not clear – at all. Spread out. All of you. Bella, lift that shield. I want to hear you."

They knew the drill to search for scents, track for footprints, even rely on each other's talents. Jasper took off toward the driveway. Alice and Bella went off to the left and right of the backyard, and I headed straight into the woods at the back.

But there was nothing. No footprints, no scent, no...anything. The mind was so quiet that I couldn't have said whether or not that it had been human or immortal. I could see through everyone's minds that they hadn't found anything, either, and Alice's mind showed no more than us going back inside completely frustrated.

By the time we'd searched the entire perimeter almost a mile radius from the house, we met back on the deck.

"I _swear_ I heard someone," I vowed, shaking my head.

"Okay," Jasper drawled out, frowning as he gazed around the yard. "Maybe it was a car passing on the street."

"No," I growled, shaking my head. "No, this wasn't like that. Whoever it was called us monsters. There was so much fear there. You didn't feel it?"

"No, man. I swear," he vowed, "but I'll keep a watch out."

I nodded, running a hand through my hair. I looked to Alice, who had been really quiet through all of this. Her face was angry – totally and completely pissed off. She didn't like missing anything, especially if it meant protecting her family.

"Don't worry, Alice," I sighed. "Maybe... Maybe it was just someone passing through like Jasper said," I told her, not believing a word of it.

"I don't like that explanation," she huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. "But I don't see anyone else coming into our path until Emmett and Rose tomorrow night."

I nodded and let out a deep breath. "That's fine. Go back inside. I want to stay out here for a minute."

Alice and Jasper went in, but Bella stepped closer to me.

"You no more believe it was a passing car than the man on the moon, Edward. Talk to me," she whispered, forcing my gaze to hers.

"I...I don't know who it was," I admitted, shrugging a shoulder. "But it was real. I know it. And..."

"And what?"

"And they were scared," I told her, frowning at the thought. "Of us."

She sighed and took a long look around the yard just like Jasper had; only this time, I saw through her mind as she sent her shield out. She was searching, pushing, trying to find anything that she could, but she came up empty.

"Nothing," I stated.

She shook her head no, frowning at the thought. "Don't worry. We'll figure it out."

"I really did hear it," I reiterated.

She smiled softly, not doubting me a single bit. "I know, Edward. I believe you." She linked her fingers with mine, tugging me gently. "Come back inside. We'll take another look in the morning. Okay?"

Knowing she was placating me a little, I did as she asked after one more glance around the yard. I sighed, letting it go for now, and nodded. "Okay," I said, following her back into the stone house.

* * *

**A/N... Okay, a few things you should know. The main thing is... Yes, Caribou, ****Maine, actually exists, and it's in the northern part of the state. However, their name and their weather is the only true things in this fic. I've completely made up anything you read about it – places, people, landmarks. Even the creepy house they just moved into.**

**And second, I will be speeding through the renovation process – just like I imagine these guys would do. They don't sleep, and they're incredibly fast and strong. Everything they need to do will be glossed over just a little.**

**Lastly, I will be posting pics and teasers, so look me up on Twitter (Drotuno) and FB (Deb Drotuno Rotuno).**

**This is betad by the beautiful JenRar, who I'm convinced I can't live without anymore. And my pre-readers are GooberLou and inkedupmom... I'm thanking all three of my girls now in advance. And I'll probably snot-sob thank them again when this is complete. LOL XD**

**Anyway, I hope you're glad Angelward is back. I wasn't aware just how much I've missed him until I started writing this. It was like slipping into a favorite pair of pajamas. :) See you next Wednesday... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N... Okay, so I know I said that I was only going to post once a week, and that may still hold true, but for right now, I'm pretty far ahead in chapters. So...I feel it's only right to share. ;) And before you ask...YES, I'll still post Wednesday. :)**

**First off...THANK YOU! That was quite a welcome back for Angelward. It was amazing to see all of your reviews! :D**

**Okay, so let's find out little more about this house and welcome in another few members of the family. See you at the bottom.**

* * *

Chapter 2

**BELLA**

"It doesn't make sense," Edward said softly, his voice almost a threatening growl as his hand clawed at his hair.

I grimaced, picking up his hand and turning his wedding ring slowly as we sat on the back deck steps. I wanted to give him comfort, but it didn't seem to be working. Just like we'd talked about the night before, we took off into the woods together as soon as the sun came up behind thick, gray clouds. We went farther this time, circling the entire perimeter of the house, even going as far as the highway several miles away. The only scents we picked up were of the local wildlife, the most recent passing cars, and a few faded trails of humans that had apparently cut through the property several weeks back. It seemed those humans were making their way toward the main highway, so Edward and I tacked it up to vagrants on the move.

There was nothing to indicate that anyone – immortal or human – had been anywhere near the house the night before.

"Maybe it was just—" I started but flinched a little when his head spun quickly my way. He knew what I'd been about to say.

"No," he countered before I even had a chance to finish. He shook his head slowly. "I've spent a hundred years learning the differences in minds, Bella. I know what I heard. And this was closer than the main road."

"Okay," I said, soothing my fingers through his wrecked hair. Hell, it was only eight in the morning, and it was already showing his stress. "Well, maybe this place is haunted..." I shrugged a shoulder in order to make light of it. "Have you heard ghosts before?"

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Bella..."

"It's a legit question, brother," Jasper said with a soft laugh from the door behind us. "Have you?"

"No," Edward replied, his face scowling. "I don't even know if they exist. And if they did...would they have..._minds_ to hear?"

"We exist," I stated. "I've learned to not write off the unusual and the impossible."

That made Edward's grumpy expression fade just a little because we'd had that conversation before, only back then, it was about mummies in Egypt, not ghosts in Maine. It was an honest argument, really. We weren't supposed to exist, and Jake and the pack shouldn't exist, so why not every other legend out there? Ghosts, mummies, mermaids – it could be argued that they were all real.

"Mermaids?" He chuckled, shaking his head, but at least he wasn't growling anymore.

Jasper laughed, slapping his brother's shoulder. "I hear they're hot," he chortled, shooting me a wink.

"It depends on who you read," I countered with a smirk. "_The __Odyssey,_ yes, they're supposedly beautiful. In _Harry Potter, _not so much."

"Which do you believe?" Edward asked, but he was fighting his smile.

"I don't...in mermaids, that is." I cupped his face. "You, however, I believe. And I think maybe it was just a very strong mind you heard." I tapped my temple to remind him that he could hear me up to ten miles away – sometimes farther, if we focused hard enough. "You haven't heard them but the one time, so let's let it go for now. Okay?"

"They heard us talking, Bella," Edward sighed, but I could see he was just about to chalk it all up to the unexplained. "They didn't want more of us here. They were so scared."

Frowning, I looked back at the house. "They heard us..." I mused, biting the inside of my cheek.

"So...let's search the house," Jasper suggested. "Maybe there's something we're missing."

The back door popped open, and Alice stepped out. "We won't find anything," she stated firmly. Her brow was wrinkled, showing not only her faith in her brother, but her frustration at not having heard or seen what he had. They worked so closely together that to remove one of them would have made the other feel blind.

"I don't care," I said, standing up and taking Edward's hand. "We're looking anyway. Come on, baby."

I was willing to do anything to wipe the look of frustration, self-doubt, and irritability off my husband's face. He would've done it for me.

Starting in our attic, we searched every room for scents and signs of someone having been there. Jasper and Alice took the first floor, working their way from what was going to be Carlisle and Esme's room, to the kitchen, to the living room, and the library. By the time all four of us had scoured the basement, Alice's prediction proved right. There was nothing out of the ordinary.

Edward gripped his hair, not saying anything about the search, but he turned to Jasper. "We need to start on the attic, Jasper. I want to get as much done as we can before Rose and Emmett get here tonight. You girls are painting, yes?" he asked, kissing my forehead.

"Yeah," Alice and I both answered slowly and quietly.

"Okay," he sighed, his nose wrinkling when he looked to me. "We'll let this go. Maybe you're right; maybe it was a strong mind. Perhaps I was hearing something out of...I don't know...context." He shrugged, but I could tell he didn't quite believe what he was saying. Though, there was no other explanation for the thoughts he'd heard.

Jasper sent a wave of something happier, easier into the room before locking gazes with me and then Alice. I could tell that Edward's doubt was bothering the three of us. He was always so very sure of his ability. It had taken him a very long time, he'd told me once, to narrow down from a bunch of voices to one single mind – even longer to pinpoint exactly who the mind belonged to. He said it was like a long hallway where everyone was speaking at one time, so I could imagine how confusing that must've been added to all the extra senses that came with the change. Even Esme had explained that Edward had never really been sure if it was her mind he was hearing or her voice. At the beginning, he'd answer both.

When the boys disappeared upstairs, Alice met my gaze. Shielding us, I made the decision to lighten the house up. It was the only way to break Edward out of his worry. I didn't want for one second to let our guard down because if he heard someone again, we needed to be ready. But I wanted my carefree husband back from a little less than twelve hours ago. A slow smile crept up Alice's face as she nodded slowly.

"Yep, that'll work," she whispered with an impish grin. "We'll start in the kitchen, work our way out to the living room, and finally tackle that library," she added at a normal tone so the boys could hear us.

"I'll get the paint and supplies," I told her.

"I'll get the music." She giggled, raising her eyebrows up and down. "But I'm telling you, Esme's painting her own room. I've already seen it," she growled, pointing a finger at me.

I laughed but nodded acquiescence. "Yes, Alice. Let's go."

We were well into the living room a few hours later. The sounds from the attic were nothing but hammering, sawing, and Jasper's cursing every few minutes. The latter made Alice, Edward, and me chuckle. We'd checked on them once, and they'd already built the frames for mine and Edward's closet and bathroom. They'd even gone so far as getting the wiring and the pipes ready for when Emmett and Rose arrive.

It seemed that with Jasper's influence and losing himself in a project, Edward had shed his former bad mood – something for which I was extremely grateful.

Music blared from the living room mantel as Alice and I danced, painted, and caulked. We kept the music light, fun, and were probably driving the music snobs upstairs crazy, but we didn't care. Katy Perry, Lady GaGa, and Rihanna poured out of the speakers, which only got worse when Alice and I sang along.

"God, I'm begging you!" Jasper finally pleaded from the bottom of the stairs. "Beatles, Stones, Skynyrd – _anything_ other than this pop crap you're blaring. Hell, I'd take anything with a guitar at this point instead of synthesized shit."

"Okay, okay," I sighed, shooting him an eye roll as I walked to my iPod. "What about the maestro up there? Is he with you?"

Edward's laugh was deep and sexy, and I could just imagine the adorably crooked yet patient smile that went along with it. "I'm afraid so, love. Just...change it up for a little while, okay? One more boy band, and Jasper may snap."

Jasper snorted but nodded in agreement.

"For you, the world, Edward," I teased with a laugh. I flipped over to a playlist of songs that the boys had played together. The list was getting longer, but I usually added the original to the iPod when they played something new. "Here, this is fitting," I called up the stairs as I started with the Rolling Stones _Paint It Black._

The sitar sound of the Stones and the beat of the drums caused everyone to laugh. With a satisfied smirk and nod, Jasper went back upstairs, leaving us to the new playlist.

"That is sort of fitting," Alice noted with a shrug of one shoulder, "except we're painting it..._Cucumber Breeze._" She lifted one of the cans to show me where it was clearly marked along with "living room."

I cracked up, shaking my head at her and going back to the roller in my hand. It was a barely-there green, but it was cool, calm, and easy on the eyes – a stark contrast to the yellowing white that we were covering up.

The playlist brought back many, many memories – of nights out, our boys rocking small clubs, and subtle, lyrical serenades by Edward. It made me long for his piano to get here, along with Emmett's drums and Jasper's guitars. It had been a long, long time since the boys had last gone to an open mic night. Hell, it had been months since all three of them sat down to play anything together, even if it was just for the family.

"Soon, sweet girl," I heard from upstairs, my favorite velvet tone laced with an honest vow.

Grinning, I looked up to the ceiling. _No rush, Edward. I just missed it. That's all. You're my favorite boy band. _I giggled, shrugging a shoulder because I knew he could see through mine and Alice's minds.

The sweet sound of Edward's surprised laugh barked out of him and through the two floors between us. "Groupie," he teased.

"You love it!" I yelled.

"I do," he called back.

"Oh," Alice gasped, gaping over at me. "Oh, hell yes! It's been way too long," she breathed, her eyes wide and her mouth stretching into a big smile. "I don't care if we stay here...just...play!" she shouted, though she didn't have to, really.

The guys' laughter echoed down the stairs, making us smile at one another because music always made Edward a little calmer, a little happier, no matter the circumstances. The Stones gave over to Bon Jovi, which turned into Guns N Roses, Metallica, and Lifehouse. Some songs were heavy, some were just for fun, and then some were blatant reminders of Edward's love for me. They were usually slower, sweeter...and sometimes sad because occasionally, he would remind us of what we'd been through apart just to make sure we never forgot what our love really meant to him.

Alice and I finished the living room, packed up the paint, and pulled up the tarp we'd laid down. We dragged all our supplies into the library, but I froze. Something was different; something had changed, and I couldn't quite figure out what. The smell was the same as when Alice and I had cleaned in there, there was no sign that anyone had touched a single thing, but still...something was off.

My sister moved the iPod back to the mantel, turning to look at me. "What?"

I shook my head and set down my supplies of paint brushes, rollers, and caulk guns, slowly walking around the room.

"Did we leave the windows open in here?" I asked, making my way around the room and studying every bookcase.

"No, I shut them. Why?" she asked.

I stopped in front of the bookcase I'd cleaned the most, the one with the most damaged books. Reaching out, I trailed a finger along old spines and even older titles. I inhaled deeply, searching for a foreign scent, but I only found my own. What I'd also noticed was that a few books were not like I'd left them. Kneeling down, I studied the bottom shelf and poked at a spine that was sticking out farther than the rest. I hadn't left it like that.

Honey and clean linen entered the room, but the owner of that scent stayed at the doorway of the library.

"What's wrong, Bella?"

I shook my head, looking back over my shoulder to him. "Something's...off." I stood up, looking at both Jasper and Edward. "Did you guys come in here? Since Alice and I cleaned, I mean?"

They shook their heads no, but Edward walked slowly in the room. "I don't smell anything but you two," he stated softly.

"Me, either," I sighed, brushing my hands off on my jeans.

"We've been banging around a lot up there," Jasper mused, rubbing his chin as he, too, searched the room. "Maybe it vibrated down the main wall to here."

"Maybe," I agreed, shrugging a shoulder. It was as good of an explanation as any, considering the attic's main wall was connected to this one and the boys were blocking in two corners of it upstairs. I shrugged again but turned toward my supplies.

"You girls want help?" Edward offered, taking the rollers from me. "We're at a stopping point upstairs..."

I looked to Alice and then to Jasper, finally landing back on Edward. "Yeah, definitely. This is the last room we're doing down here. Esme's on her own with their rooms."

Edward smirked, cupping my chin and bringing me in for a brief kiss. "You got it. Where do you want us?"

_Deadly question, handsome_, I teased him in my thoughts, showing him all sorts of naughty things of where I'd really like him, but I squeaked when he poked my side. "Okay, okay...since you're both so tall, you can start up top," I told them, smacking at Edward's tickling fingers.

The music went back on, the paint came out – this time, _English Red_, which was a deep, rich shade – and I dropped the tarps on the floor before beginning to caulk the windows. Most likely thanks to Jasper, the work was much more fun in feeling than it had been, but the boys added an element of silly, nonsensical conversations and laughter. They also sang along with the music, which was always so damned beautiful that I could barely contain how it made me feel. Where Edward's voice was soft, smooth, and melodic, Jasper's was soulful, a touch raspy, and added the perfect harmony.

I was also busted more than once for staring at Edward's ass as he stood up on the ladder while he painted the wall where it met the ceiling. Once again, he was wearing older jeans, something that could get messed up without giving Alice a meltdown. They were worn out in the ass and the knees and frayed just a little around the hems and pockets. I licked my lips at just how well they hugged him in all the right places.

A sexy-ass eyebrow raised as he caught my thoughts, but I could only laugh and shrug. _What? Sue me, baby. It sits there all perfect and stuff, defying gravity and those beat up jeans – which are very, very sexy, by the way. I should take a picture of it on my phone. You know, for posterior...I mean, posterity._

I grinned at my own inner joke, giggling as Edward fought not to laugh. I was aware that Alice and Jasper were watching us with faces filled with amusement. I wasn't sure what Alice was seeing, but they didn't say anything. However, I knew for a fact that Jasper was feeling my mischief.

"Oh, I don't think so, Isabella," he countered with a chuckle, but it was laced with a warning yet teasing growl as he slowly edged down the ladder.

"Yup," I sang, backing slowly toward the doorway. "In fact...my phone's just in the other room..."

I knew he'd use his speed against me, but I bolted for the living room anyway. Using my shield, I blocked his reach, which caused a laughing growl to bark out of him. I snatched my phone off the mantle as I ran through the room, my husband hot on my trail. I was aiming for the front doors, when they flew open.

"Emmett!" I squealed, diving passed him and using his giant form to hide behind. "Save me." I cracked up, peeking around my largest brother's shoulder.

"Hi, baby girl. Is Eddie up to no good again?" Emmett asked, slamming a heavy hand into the doorjamb to stop Edward from coming near me.

I said, "Yes," with a laugh at the same time Edward scoffed, "No."

Edward rolled his eyes when I stuck my tongue out at him, but I could see the warmth, the humor back in their golden depths, a sharp contrast from that morning. I held up my phone, shaking it a little, and my husband grinned, shooting a wink my way.

Pointing a finger at me and raising his eyebrow again, he said, "Try it, beautiful."

"Okay." I smiled in victory because I damn well was getting my picture, and then I turned to the two siblings I hadn't seen in months.

I hugged Emmett, spinning to see Rose smirking with amusement behind us on the front steps.

"I missed you!" I squealed, hugging her fiercely.

"Me, too," she sighed happily, giving the house an almost scathing look. "What in the blue hell was Esme thinking?"

Edward laughed as he gave Emmett a rough one-armed hug and Rose a gentler one. "You should've seen this place when we got here," he told them as Alice and Jasper joined us in the foyer.

I pushed and shoved at them to go inside. "Come on, we'll show you."

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

"How's town?" Rose asked, crossing one leg over the other.

"Boring," Alice muttered, rolling her eyes. "It's a small town, not a lot to do, but there's always Canada."

Rose nodded, her mind expecting as much. She then switched to thoughts of the garage outside.

"We haven't been out there," I told her. "We were saving it for last. We needed to get this place at least ready to get the movers in."

Rose nodded. "Okay. Em and I will take a look at it in a bit."

The garage had been the least of my worries when it came to getting the house ready. We were so far out of town, I wasn't worried about anyone messing with our cars, and in all reality, that building needed the most work, if not just completely torn down and rebuilt.

"I talked to the movers once Rosie and I crossed over into New York," Emmett started, settling back against the wall. "They'll be here by morning. They had to stop along the way. Engine troubles or something. I think they had to switch out cabs."

His announcement wasn't a shock, nor did it bother any of us. We knew that the moving company Esme had hired had been given instructions to take their time, that there was no rush. They were pretty booked up, but they came highly recommended because they specialized in large pieces like my piano. We needed time in order to clean up enough to bring our things in. Not to mention, we didn't exactly need furniture for comfort.

We'd all settled along the walls of the living room around the fire after showing Emmett and Rose the house, Bella's iPod playing softly in the background. They weren't surprised at the amount of work we'd gotten done, but offered to help us the following morning. We really just wanted to play catch-up on what we'd all been up to. It had been a few months since we'd seen one another, so the conversation flowed easily. And despite the length of time it had been since I'd had that many minds in one room, the company of my siblings around us was actually really nice.

Bella reclined back against my chest as Alice and Jasper retold their story about Mississippi, about seeing her old house, neighborhood, and the old building that had once been an asylum to the "feeble-minded" – a term that Bella absolutely despised, but it had been the acceptable diagnosis back then. Jasper said they'd even gotten a glimpse of old Miss Addy, who had declined in the last year since her long talk with Charlie about Alice's past.

I'd heard all of it before because Alice had talked nonstop about it after Bella and I had picked them up from the airport, so I let my mind wander farther than the room my family was sitting in. I still wasn't completely convinced that what I'd heard the night before was just some random strong mind passing by in a car, and I damn well didn't think it was a ghost.

Inhaling deeply the scent of my wife's hair, I held back my disappointment when I came up with nothing. Other than the thoughts of my wife and siblings, I couldn't hear a thing, certainly not the disjointed mind that had shocked me before.

"How was Alaska?" Bella piped up, dragging me back into the conversation.

I smiled against the back of her head because that one thought had been all that she could focus on since Emmett and Rose had arrived. She was worried about our extended family since the way things had ended in New York. Tanya had lost her reason, her sanity snapping like a thin string that had been pulled too tightly, and Bella worried that the Denali family blamed us for her death, even though ultimately, it had been Marcus to order Tanya's demise and Esme who had authorized the girls to carry that order out.

"Ah, they're fine," Emmett sighed, though his thoughts and his face revealed his sadness. "They know it was the only way, Bells."

"They said to send their love," Rose added with a small nod. "Kate and Garrett are doing great. They're kinda cute, actually. Whenever he acts like an idiot, she shocks him back down to earth with that talent of hers. He's settled in well for someone that was used to traveling whenever he felt like it. Carmen and Eleazar are the only ones that seemed to have let it all go because all that Tanya did went against everything they believe. They're ashamed of her, I think. However, Irina and Gianna are still together, though they've taken to a new...fetish."

"Ugh," I groaned, burying my face into Bella's shoulder as I saw things no one should really see. It seems the two immortal women had taken to inviting human men into their bed. It also led me to believe that the two were never really mated because no immortal would...share.

Rose laughed, her head falling back. "Right?" she chortled. "It seems Irina hasn't lost her succubus nature."

"Oh," the rest of them murmured at the same time, having caught up quickly. That only made imaginations go wild, adding to my misery.

Bella giggled when I groaned again, turning to nuzzle my jaw and linking our fingers together. "Poor baby," she crooned, kissing my cheek.

"Anyway," Emmett pushed on with a chuckle, "they aren't holding anything against us. If anything, they feel slightly responsible for Tanya. Looking back, they feel they could have been more help to her. You know...seen what she was going through."

I was bracing myself for thoughts of Tanya's infatuation with me for so many years, but they never came. In fact, most thoughts were of pity because Tanya had lived a very long life, essentially alone, and sometimes, loneliness could take its toll on an immortal's sanity. Carlisle had mentioned that same thing more than one time. Loneliness, I could understand, which only caused me to pull my Bella closer, tighter. Without her, I wasn't so sure where I'd be in this life. I certainly wouldn't be the better man that was currently holding the one thing that mattered most to me. She'd changed me, given me the one thing I never thought I'd have – pure, perfect love.

My gaze shot to Emmett because his mind was taking in his surroundings.

"What's the deal with this place? And what the fuck is that smell?" he asked, causing Bella and Jasper to crack up.

"Ghosts," Jasper teased, laughing harder when my growl resounded through the room.

"Spill," Rose commanded, folding her arms across her chest and glancing around at the rest of us.

"It seems..." Bella sighed, shaking her head before kissing me softly, her mind just trying to keep me soothed, calm. "It seems the consensus in town is that this house is haunted. The smell is...age. It's mold and mildew and closed-up spaces for far too long. No one's lived here for about ten years. Damn, you can still smell it?"

"No, not really, but there is this underlying scent..." Emmett said, giving the room another slow glance. "It is musty, but it isn't new scents...except for you guys. But still..."

Emmett's thoughts were along the same lines as Bella's...that there was something not quite right with the place. He spun to face me. "What do we know about this place?"

"Not much," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "It started construction in 1901. Built by a William Varner for his wife and son. From there, it changed hands several times, the last one being ten years ago. It's been on the market ever since."

"Maybe Esme knows more," Bella mused softly, turning my wedding ring over and over. "We can ask her when they all get here. Their flight leaves Monday."

I chuckled at the little squeals of happiness that the news of Kevin and Adrian joining us brought out in the girls. They'd missed the flamboyant Kevin and his shy mate, Adrian. I had to admit that Kevin had fit into our family flawlessly, even as a strong-willed human. We'd gotten so attached to him that we'd ended up outing our true nature to him. And just like my Bella, he'd accepted us and loved us anyway. That alone endeared him to the family. When he'd gotten hurt by Tanya, we'd all been distraught waiting for Adrian to make a decision to change him. Had he died, every woman in my family would have been completely heartbroken. Instead, he'd taken to his immortality like a fish to water.

_More?! There are...can't have... Need... No longer my own...Varner... Monsters..._

I froze, my head spinning to stare behind me. The only two that picked up on it were Bella and Jasper. He felt my panic, but not the pure unadulterated fear that seemed to lace every choppy thought, and she felt my rumbling growl.

"You're hearing them again," she barely breathed.

Nodding, I stood up and pointing to Jasper. "Spread out. They're close by."

Jasper quickly instructed Emmett and Rose, and the whole family bolted out of the house. They responded without question, without any explanation whatsoever. Bella shot out the back door, sending a wide range, dome-like shield over several acres of the property, the house and most of the driveway included. Her goal was to catch them inside of it like a net. Scents were our main priority, so we spread out, moving as quickly as we could, but the farther away I got from the actual house, the more I was convinced that I was too far from the source of the mind I'd heard.

There was absolutely nothing. No scent, no trail, no more thoughts. It pissed me off.

Bella slowly pulled her shield back toward her, essentially fishing for something, anything. It came up with no one but family. Alice's visions flipped crazily through every scenario she could come up with. She sought out immediate futures, which showed nothing more than explaining to Emmett and Rose what I'd heard, and she looked a little further down the line where Carlisle was concerned about me.

With a low growl, a hand through my hair, and a defeated sigh, I gave up when no new scent could be found, even directly around the house.

By the time I made it to the back deck, Jasper and Bella were telling Emmett and Rose about the first time this happened. The pity in their voices caused my nostrils to flare, but it was Emmett's thoughts that made me stop just a few yards from the back steps because he was going to ask it no matter what.

"_Can_ you hear ghosts?" he asked, tilting his head at me, his brow furrowing in confusion. He believed me that I'd heard something, but the lack of physical evidence made him think that there was more here than met the eye.

"It's not a damn ghost!" I snarled, slamming my hands into the closest tree. The trunk obliterated on the impact of my hands, the top tumbling down with a loud crashing sound.

Bella was immediately in front of me, grasping my face. "Okay, okay..." she soothed, cupping my face. "Edward, sweetheart. Look at me," she instructed. "We believe you, okay? We just don't know how to help you find it."

I panted in front of her, but she pulled and tugged at me until my forehead rested against hers. I needed to find the source of these thoughts because they seemed to know too much. If they were human, then we needed to move on. If they were immortal, then we needed to speak with them. The fact that I couldn't tell really bothered the hell out of me. And I just couldn't see enough to determine the difference.

"What'd they say...er, think?" she asked so very softly.

"They were scared, calling us monsters again," I whispered, trying to get my temper under control, if only for her sake. She absolutely hated seeing me upset. I repeated what I'd heard, and she simply nodded. "Okay. Do you want to check the house again?"

I nodded silently, and our siblings immediately left us alone to do just that. Emmett and Rose were a little wary of my outburst because they hadn't seen me explode like that since I'd told them we were leaving Forks to keep Bella safe.

"Edward," she whispered, once we were alone. "He didn't mean any harm..."

"I know," I said, cutting her off rudely. "I understand that would be the only explanation, but I just don't think it's possible, Bella."

Her thoughts swirled around different scenarios but finally landed on one. "Maybe we should call Carlisle."

"No," I groaned, pulling away from her and starting to pace. "It can wait."

I was beginning to think two things. One, that I was losing my mind, hearing something that wasn't there. Or two, that there was someone that traveled by with a very strong mind, but only strong enough for me to catch glimpses into their thoughts. The mind I'd heard was jumbled, choppy like static on a radio. It seemed far away, yet at the same time, very close. It was like nothing I'd ever experienced.

Most thoughts were clear, their mind matching the person behind it – human or immortal. Bella's magnificent mind was calm, comforting, like slipping into the softest bed. She had the sweetest, silliest, most loving mind I'd ever had the honor of hearing. Carlisle was almost the same way, calm, compassionate, and with him, Esme, who was the epitome of love and motherly concern at all times. Alice's was complicated, constantly working through visions that bombarded her whether she wanted them or not. In fact, I could've picked out my family in a stadium full of minds. I knew these thoughts like the back of my hand. I knew Jasper's thoughts were layers of emotions that he had to sort through just to find his own feelings. I knew that everything that came out of Emmett's mouth was almost the same thing he was thinking at that moment. And I knew that Rose was a little self-involved, but she loved fiercely.

But _this mind_... It was jumbled and murky, not even allowing me to see where the owner was. Where normally, I could see their point of view, it wasn't happening this time. All I saw was blackness, gray and cold, like they were blind.

"You're not crazy, baby," Bella suddenly said, and I spun to look at her. "Just because it doesn't make sense doesn't mean it isn't real."

Her thoughts made me slow down, reassess what I was thinking. She was concerned, not by my lack of evidence, but what that lack of proof was doing to me. She recognized the signs of my temper, my self-deprecating mannerisms. It was actions she hadn't seen in years...since she was human. And she hated even more that they'd come on so suddenly.

I groaned, my head falling back. "I'm so sorry, Bella."

"You owe me no apology," she stated firmly, her hand on her hips. She let out a deep breath. "Maybe we should hunt. Hmm?"

Wrinkling my nose, I nodded because it had been two weeks since we'd hunted together in New York.

"Come on." She held out her hand for mine, linking our fingers together. Giving my hand a squeeze, she said, "We'll get away from things for a few hours."

With that said, she led us north toward Canada.

~oOo~

"Better?" Bella asked, dragging her lips down my neck to my collarbone.

"Mmhm," was all the reply I could give her because she was still wrapped around me, perfectly bare and sated and happy.

I was still inside her as my hands continued their endless circuit of light touches through her hair, down her back, her bottom, and her thighs. She smelled like me, the two moose she'd taken down, and the several colors of paint that were smudged on her fingers and elbows. My head felt clearer after hunting, but my soul felt calmer after she'd launched herself at me. My wife in control was extremely sexy.

Bella giggled when I stirred inside of her, which caused me to smile against her neck. "What are _you_ thinking?" she asked in a sexy sing-song way, pulling back to cup either side of my face.

"You, love. Always you," I answered honestly and with the answer I always gave her, brushing my lips across hers as she smirked at me.

"I know we should get back soon, but do you want to talk about it?" Her voice was soft, sweet, but there was a tenor to it that told me that I really didn't have a choice in the matter. In all reality, she could hold my ass right there until I gave in...not that I'd complain.

Leaning forward, I pressed my lips to her forehead, gazing out over the top of her head at our surroundings. We were just over the Canada border, deep in the middle of the woods. By human standards, it was cold, but as it was, we were naked, leaning up against a fir tree. I let out a slow breath, pulling back to lock eyes with warm, calm brown. I loved that her shield allowed me to keep the chocolate depths I'd completely fallen for back in Forks.

I opened my mouth to speak, but shut it, brushing her hair away from her face. I didn't know if I could explain it well enough, but I was going to try.

"I _have_ to watch out for us. You know that, right?" I asked her, frowning a little, but she nodded as she ran her fingers through my hair. I nodded, too, and went on. "I've been listening to thoughts for so long, waiting for that one time when someone sees us for what we are. I've heard when Carlisle's nurses start to second guess his age, when Emmett does something in school that showed off his strength a little too much, and times when our lack of eating has been noted. It's those times when I'd let the family know it was time to move on."

Bella nodded. She knew these things, of course. She knew about them when we met and even more now that she was a member of the family. She knew that I'd listen for thoughts of curiosity, and Alice would watch for decisions all concerning who and what we were. It was the only way we could stay ahead of the humans and maintain the carefully-constructed facade that we needed in order to live somewhat normal lives. Bella was aware of all of this.

"But _this_ mind..._these_ thoughts know what we are. And not only do they not want us here, but they are so very scared, Bella." I sighed because the next sentence out of my mouth was going to sound pompous, but it was the truth. "I've never been wrong. Ever."

My sweet girl frowned, tracing my eyebrows with a single finger, rubbing at the wrinkle between them. She was so beautiful, and her mind was closed to me.

"You were wrong once," she said suddenly, smirking a little. "I knew what you were."

Grinning, I kissed her nose. "You trumped my talent, sweet girl. And dear God, I wanted you to know." We were quiet for a moment, but I added, "I can't afford to be wrong, Bella. I _have_ to protect us...and if this person knows what we are..." I trailed off a little, switching gears. "We can't be exposed."

She let out a long exhale and nodded. "You know I believe you, right? No matter what. I know that...evidence is evading us, but I trust you. If you say you're hearing this mind, then I believe you."

"Who's biased now?" I teased, smiling at her soft laugh, because she was always telling me that I was biased and blind when I tell her she's the most perfect thing in the world.

"Maybe," she conceded with a shrug of one smooth shoulder that I couldn't resist kissing. She stiffened a little in my arms before asking her next question. "Want to tell me why the thought of a ghost sets you off, Edward?"

"Because I've never heard or seen one or ever believed that they exist, Bella," I grumbled, trying to maintain my temper. The thought of ghosts seemed ridiculous. "I've lived a long time, witnessed some really strange things, and that is one thing I haven't seen. I just don't see how it's possible."

"There are studies that say differently...TV shows, movies, books," she countered, not arguing but simply stating what she knew.

"I know." I allowed my eyes to drink her naked body in, my hands rubbing softly up and down her sides. "Which would mean they were human...they _died_. And if they were human, then they still shouldn't know we were monsters." It was a lame argument, but what I'd heard had been too close for comfort.

"I hate it when you call us that," she sighed, frowning and looking past me over the forest. "It's derogatory when you use it. A self-deprecating thing. You're no more a monster than me...or Esme and Carlisle." She raised an eyebrow in challenge, but I remained quiet, thoroughly chastised. "Let's say...for argument's sake...that it's a ghost you're hearing." She held a hand up when I opened my mouth. "Just in theory, baby. That's all. What would we do?"

I grimaced, shrugging a shoulder. "No clue."

"Then I want to talk to Carlisle," she stated firmly. Once again, it wasn't up for argument. "He's got two hundred years on you. He may have seen something you haven't." She folded her arms across her chest and raised her eyebrow at me in challenge.

I laughed, conceding to her simply because I couldn't _not_ give her whatever it was that popped into that gorgeous head of hers. "Fine, sweet girl. But save it until he gets here, okay?"

"Sure, baby. No problem." Her teeth nipped at her bottom lip, and then she added, "I'm not giving this...this ghost business any credit, Edward. I just want to find out what you're hearing. You know that, right? I just..."

"You're looking out for me, Bella. I totally understand. And thank you," I finished for her, meaning my gratefulness sincerely. "I'm sorry...about before."

"You have every right to be freaked out," she told me, smiling at my chuckle and starting to extricate herself from my arms.

Before she could peel herself off of my lap, I stopped her. "Since we're talking theories, love... Why..." I paused, not knowing how to ask the next question without sounding stupid. But one look at her face told me I could ask anything of her, and she'd never think less of me. "Why would some spirits stay and not all? How could we not see everyone after they're gone?"

Without saying a word, she allowed me back into her mind, asking if I was thinking of my parents.

"Yes."

My voice barely made a sound, but she heard me and reached up to brush my hair off my forehead, only to place a long, slow kiss there. She cupped my face, and in her mind, she ached for me. She also wondered if that was part of the reason I wouldn't hear of the subject.

"Maybe," I allowed, looking away from her loving eyes.

She forced my eyes back to hers gently, saying, "I don't know, baby. I wish I did. I've heard things about 'unfinished business.' Well, maybe your parents didn't have any. Maybe when your mom turned you over to Carlisle, that was the last thing she needed to do...to take care of her son."

I nodded again, not having a single thing to say to that, so I changed the subject. "We should get back."

"Okay," she said, finally getting up off my lap, and I felt exposed without her. Once we were redressed, she took my hand in hers. "We'll figure it out, Edward. I promise. You're not going crazy. I don't believe that at all. Just...keep doing what you're doing."

Smiling, I wrapped an arm around her shoulders so I could kiss the top of her head. She always knew what I needed to hear, even when I didn't. "Thanks, my love."

"Mmhm," she hummed haughtily, causing me to shoot her a wink. "Now...let's hope that the truck is there. God, I miss your piano. And your guitars."

Rolling my eyes at her teasingly, I muttered, "Groupie," before taking off at a run.

Her growl was mixed with an adorable laugh as she chased after me.

~oOo~

It took an extremely large tip to the movers to keep them from unloading the whole trailer into the allotted rooms. It also took Rose's flirtatious mannerisms to get them to unhook the cab, leaving said trailer for us to unload. We told them that they could pick it up later that evening. With the six of us and no human there to see us, we would have the truck unloaded in a fraction of the time. And the drivers got paid the same. It was a win-win for everyone.

By the time the sun had set that day, the trailer was empty and gone, the house was filled with boxes and furniture – all in their appropriate rooms – and the library was filled with musical instruments...and more books. Jasper and I owned several guitars – some that we shared and some specifically ours alone – and Emmett owned a massive drum set, though he didn't always set all of them up. And then there was my piano. I chuckled at it, shaking my head a bit as I checked it over to make sure that it had survived yet _another_ move. My sweet girl couldn't bear to leave it behind, even with promises of new ones. No, it _had_ to be that piano – the piano that I'd had when I met her.

Finding it only a touch out of tune, I rendered that problem quickly – a benefit of perfect hearing and memory. I sat down at on the bench, running my fingers up the scales, testing, listening, but it seemed that the move had been kind. I started softly, slipping into "Claire de Lune" without even thinking about it as I listened to my family and my wife chatter nonstop, laugh, and tease one another in different parts of the house.

Emmett and Jasper were in mine and Bella's room, contemplating the construction on our bathroom and closet. The girls were catching up on music, movies, and the latest who's-doing-who in Hollywood. Some beloved couple had broken up, and it was a heartbreaking shame and tragedy. The question was posed more than once, "What was she _thinking_? He's so cute!"

Huffing a single laugh, I lost myself in the music, barely noticing when Jasper joined me. He picked up the closest guitar and fiddled with the strings as he perched himself on a stack of boxes. I switched over from classical to Paul McCartney, smiling at him when he joined me in the song "My Love."

He sang softly to himself simply because we weren't taking it seriously. It was just a way for us to settle down after a stressful move and a few really strange days. The conversation upstairs slowed to a stop, and a mental collective sigh echoed through all of them. They'd missed this, the sound of us playing. To us all, it was soothing.

The scent of freesias and strawberry wafted around me, and I smiled at my Bella entering the library, the girls and Emmett right behind her. She sat with me, leaning over to kiss my cheek, her thoughts plainly happy. She didn't even care what we played as long as we continued because she'd been looking for her iPod all damn day.

When I looked over at her, she just shrugged a shoulder. "It's around somewhere among all of these boxes," she said softly, nudging me to keep playing and wearing the most adorable smile.

I knew the song she wanted, so when I started "Wild Horses," she practically melted to my side. Jasper never missed a note, catching up quickly. Emmett grinned at us, spending his time shifting things around in the room to find the best place for his drums. The girls sang softly to themselves, mostly, sounding more like the Sundays version of the song than the Rolling Stones. It was haunting and beautiful.

_No more...no more...Monsters!_ _I...must... Need to stop... Blood..._

My playing faltered, but I continued because I just didn't see the point in searching for that mind anymore, but it was Jasper that slammed his hand down onto the top of the piano.

"You want to tell me what fuck that was?" he asked, looking wild-eyed around at everyone in the room.

I stopped playing, narrowing my eyes at him, and the room came to a standstill. "You felt that." I stated it more than asked because the whole room suddenly felt it through him. He'd had no choice but to push it out and away from him.

"Pure terror," he breathed, his mouth hanging open. "And it won't do any good to look, will it?"

I shook my head. "I don't think so," I admitted softly. "Where?"

"No idea, man, but I felt it. It was everywhere and then nowhere," he murmured, setting the guitar down and giving the room a long glance.

"Yeah, that's how it is for me, too."

A box dropped heavily to the floor, making the girls jump, and I could see that Emmett's face was no longer the jovial brother we saw on a normal basis. "Okay," he grunted with a nod. "Now both of you?" he growled, folding his large arms across his chest when we nodded. "And you can't tell what or who the fuck it is?"

"No," we both answered.

"You don't want to look?" Bella asked me, tugging my shirt sleeve.

"We won't find anything..._again_," Alice stated, her nostrils flaring as she locked gazes with me. _You and now Jasper... Why the hell can't I see this shit?_

"I don't know, Alice," I sighed, running a hand through my hair.

Bella suddenly stood up, her face unreadable. "I think it's time to find out about this house. Maybe there's a reason the town thinks it's haunted."

Before anyone else could argue, Emmett piped in. "I agree. Bells, get your laptop. And tomorrow...we hit this town's library and newspaper." He pointed to Alice, who was already pulling out her phone. "And call the parental units. I wanna know what they know." My largest brother turned to me. "We'll figure it out, Ed. You're hearing shit, and now Jasper feels it, too? Nah, man...it's not just you two. Something's up in this place."

"Bella said the same thing yesterday," Jasper added, still trying to shake off the fear.

Bella came back into the room with her laptop in hand, giving it to Emmett. But we all turned to Alice when Carlisle's voice sounded over the speakerphone.

"Alice," he greeted. "Everything okay?"

"Hey, Carlisle. No, not really," she hedged, giving the room a glance.

"What's going on, sweetheart? Is everyone all right?"

Alice locked gazes with me as visions of different ways this conversation could go split several ways in her mind. She went with the bluntest option. "Do you believe in ghosts?"

"Wait... What?" he sputtered, almost laughing, but he maintained it. "There are plenty of research results that prove both sides of that argument, Alice."

Standing up from the piano bench and holding my hand out for the phone, I turned it off speaker and said, "Carlisle..."

"Edward, what's this all about?"

I sighed, walking away a little and starting to explain everything – from the smell of the house when we walked in the first time, to every thought I'd heard, to the lack of proof that anyone was around. I added in the little things, too, like moved books in the library. And I finished with the most recent event with Jasper. He only stopped me to clarify something, but otherwise, he let me spill it all. When I was done, Carlisle was quiet for a moment.

"I can understand why you're unnerved, Edward," he said softly. "Let me see if I can change flights. I'll get back to you as soon as I know. Hang in there, son. Okay?"

"Yes, sir."

"And perhaps Bella and Emmett are right. It wouldn't hurt to find out the history of that house. Maybe it's something you're just simply overlooking."

I snorted when Bella and Emmett bumped fists and turned back to the computer in front of them wearing smug grins.

"Okay, Carlisle. We'll let you know what we find out."

* * *

**A/N... Edward's having a rough go of it, I know. He's got his Bella, and that may be the most important thing I can stress at this point. Okay? And...YAY! Emmett and Rose are home. We just have to get everyone else there, too. I'm well aware you guys are itchin' for some Kevin...patience.**

**I want to thank JenRar for not only betaing this, but also taking on the task of my blog. Which means, there is a playlist building for _Haunted Angel _as each chapter posts. So "Paint It Black" by The Rolling Stones and pretty much the theme to Angelward... "Wild Horses" by the Sundays will be added. All the pics and teases will be on there, as well, so have a look if you want.**

**Like I said up top, I'll still post on Wednesday for you guys, so tell me what you think so far. :) Until then...mooches, Deb. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N… Wow, guys! Only 2 chapters in, and you already have theories. Excellent! :D And some of you were VERY close.**

**I know all of you are pretty happy that Jasper finally felt something, but there is still a winding road ahead of us. This will give you a little history on the house, and it's a little rocky. I also need to give you fair warning – not that any of you listen to me – this chapter contains a LEMON WARNING.**

**Oh, yeah, and I totally forgot the whole…I don't own anything but my plot…thing. I use SM's characters for fun only. ;) I'm sure all of you knew that. Also, nothing about Caribou, Maine, is real, except for the name. All persons, business, and landmarks are fictional.**

**Okay, let's get to the research…**

* * *

Chapter 3

**BELLA**

"I think we should hit the newspaper first," I suggested, climbing into the passenger side of Emmett's pickup truck – because we needed to stop at the hardware store, we couldn't bring Edward's Volvo. "There wasn't much online, except to say that the office was open to browse microfiche. Jasper called, and it seemed the server crashed a few years back. They just never uploaded again."

"And then the library?" Edward verified, cranking the engine. When I nodded, so did he, saying, "Okay, we'll stop at the hardware store last to pick up the bathroom stuff I ordered. It's in."

He grinned, all sweet and proud of himself, which caused me to laugh a little. Sometimes, he was too cute to even look at. It didn't help that today, he was dressed to look like the seventeen-year-old in which he was frozen. Black jeans, sneakers, leather jacket, and a gray button-down that he'd left untucked reminded me of the mysterious yet beautiful boy I'd met in Forks so long ago. Because Alice said we had to play the part of students doing a history project, I'd had to dress young, as well. Dressed for cooler weather in jeans, a hoodie, and my own leather jacket, I'd tossed my hair up into a ponytail.

Another thing that helped Edward to look relaxed was that a little of his worry had ebbed away now that not only was the whole family trying to help him, but that Jasper had been witness to what he'd been going through – though, my true theory was that telling Carlisle everything took away his burden just a bit. It always did. Without Carlisle around, most of the responsibilities of the family fell on Edward's shoulders, so adding the strange mind that he'd been hearing was causing him to stress the hell out. At least now, he didn't feel quite so alone in it all.

There was little to be found online the night before about the small town. In exchange for our siblings unpacking, Edward and I volunteered to go into Caribou, but we'd had to wait until morning. Instead, we'd spoken to Carlisle a few times about his flight changes. Esme had gotten on the phone once to explain that she'd been unaware of the haunted house rumors, but she'd be contacting Mrs. Delap as soon as she arrived. The fierce Momma Bear in her was in full swing. No one messed with her children – not even the strange happenings at a rundown house.

Edward turned the radio on, trying to find something local, but finally settled for whatever Emmett and Rose had been listening to in the CD player. I grinned when it was the Neon Trees. "Everybody Talks" was a fast, fun song, so he left it on as we traveled into town.

Caribou reminded me a lot of Forks, simply because of the long stretches of back roads, the endless amounts of trees, and the people. In the brief glimpses I'd seen, I noticed that the residents of Caribou were hardworking and friendly. The night we'd all gone out together, we'd been welcomed, treated kindly, and given little bits of information on the town, little secrets being passed on – like the best pies were at Sophie's downtown, but the best burger was at Carl's Cafe. Apparently, Carl never cleaned the grill, so the burgers there had an unbelievable flavor. Despite the fact that some were naturally nervous at the sight of us, they didn't waver in their friendliness.

We pulled into a tiny parking lot beside a small storefront-like office. The sign on the outside was clearly marked with _Caribou Constitution_. After a little research, we found out that the local newspaper was only printed once a week. The bigger news came daily from Bangor. We were starting locally because we needed to know if there was any crime attached to the house.

Edward took my notebook from me, kissed the side of my head, and asked, "What are we hoping to find here?"

"Um, anything on the last owners," I stated with a shrug. "I think the library will give us the history on William Varner."

He nodded, but by the slight tilt of his head, I could see that he was already listening to the person inside as we walked to the door. A bell chimed overhead when we stepped in, and a woman glanced up at us. In a way, she reminded me of Mrs. Cope from Forks High. She was older, with kind hazel eyes and dark hair that was cut short. Her face was round, pleasant, and expectant as we walked to the counter.

"Hi there. Welcome in," she said, leaning her elbows on the counter. There was a nameplate on the wall that said her name was Doris Chambers, Editor in Chief. "What can I do for you two?"

Edward smiled that charming, irresistible crooked grin of his, saying, "Hello, my name's Edward, and this is Bella, and we have a homework project due. I was wondering if you might be able to help us."

Her speech sputtered for just a moment, and I turned away as I rolled my eyes so hard that I was pretty sure I saw my brain. No matter the age, women couldn't resist him. I could hear her heart speed up, smell the scent of sweat in her palms increase, and of course, feel the poke to my side from Edward that she didn't catch.

"Well, I'm Doris," she finally said, pulling a scrap of paper her way, along with a pen. "What's your project on? I'll see if I can't pull you the articles on it."

"The Varner House," Edward answered smoothly, but the way he was looking at her, I knew he was not only reading her outward reactions, but her mental ones, as well.

Her eyebrows shot up high into her hairline, but she nodded. "You must be that new family that moved in. Collins? Carson?"

"Cullen," we both answered together.

"Ah, yes." She chuckled a little, eying us both. "My apologies. News travels fast around here."

"No problem," I said with a shrug of one shoulder. My shield shifted just a little, and I smiled up at her because sometimes, my talent worked all on its own. It was like I could sense the good in people...and the bad, but my shield had a tendency to shun those.

"Now, my archives only go back to 1973," she said, tapping her pen on the counter. "That house is a lot older than that. For the real history, you'll want to go see Bob at the library."

"We planned on it," Edward told her. "But we wanted to start with the most recent history. I was hoping for anything on the last owners – Timothy and Lisa Dixon. From what we can figure, that was about ten years ago."

That made her heart speed up even more, and it didn't go unnoticed between Edward and me, but she leaned closer. "Is it true? Is it haunted?" she asked, looking almost childlike in her curiosity.

Giggling, I said, "Oh, I don't think so. At least, we haven't _seen_ anything." The lie was smooth, but it satisfied her in some way.

"It's just an older house. Kinda creepy," Edward said, sounding so out of character for him that I laughed softly.

"Gotcha." She stood up straight, gesturing to a corner where two microfiche machines sat on a table. "Pick a machine, kids. I'll pull the archives from ten years back...and I'll see what else I can find."

Edward and I did as she asked, but he spoke quickly and quietly so that she couldn't hear him. "Her reaction to the name Dixon was interesting," he whispered, reaching up to tuck a stray lock of my hair behind my ear. "Her memory flashed to a missing persons sign. Apparently, Lisa Dixon disappeared not long after they moved in."

"Oh damn," I breathed but nodded in acceptance of what he'd heard.

"It seems that Doris's husband helped in the search for her," he continued, his brow wrinkling. "He's a park ranger...or was, at least. Her mind circled around to him because he passed away five years ago, so I couldn't see what became of the search."

"Oh," I crooned, frowning at the thought of her missing her husband.

Edward smiled softly yet sadly and kissed my forehead. "My sweet girl," was all he murmured before Doris returned with a few file folders in her hand.

With a few instructions on how to work the machine, she left us to answer and make a few phone calls.

Flipping through a year's worth of small town news wasn't exactly stimulating. There were: classified ads; birth, death, and engagement announcements; articles on skiing and new businesses; reports on small, petty crimes; and pieces on local sports and politics. None of it mattered to us until the headline we'd been looking for popped up on the screen.

_Local Resident Goes Missing Out of Own Home_

"Here we go," I sang softly, pulling out my notebook as Edward read the article.

"Lisa Dixon was reported missing by her husband of eight years last Tuesday night. Local authorities have conducted several searches of the surrounding area, only to come up empty handed," Edward read, looking over at me with an unreadable expression before he continued on. "Timothy Dixon, a local construction worker, came home from picking up Caroline, their six-year-old daughter, from school, only to find that his wife wasn't home. He told the sheriff that her car was still in the driveway, as well as all of her personal things. No bags were packed, and her purse, wallet, and keys were still on the dresser in the bedroom. According to the police report, there were no signs of foul play. There was, however, one single drop of blood found on the kitchen counter next to where it looked like Lisa Dixon was preparing dinner."

"You know, that sounds like—" I started, but Edward interrupted me.

"I know, but hold that thought, love," he said softly, skimming through the rest of the article. "According to this, they'd only just moved in. They were originally from Ohio, but Timothy Dixon took an offer for a new job. It was supposedly better pay, better benefits." He flipped through the next several weeks of articles but found nothing more, except one small article on the Varner House. It was written almost a year later, and it simply said that it was back on the market. The bank had taken it over.

My eyebrows shot up, and I sighed sadly. "Damn, he left...everything. Didn't he?"

"Let's find out," he whispered before standing up to walk back to the counter. "Mrs. Chambers?" he called softly and politely.

"Please, call me Doris," she told him, getting up from behind her desk. "Is there a problem, sweetie?"

He smiled at the term of endearment but shook his head. "Well, I was wondering... Do you know anything about this missing woman? Lisa Dixon?"

Doris took a deep breath and let it out. "Sad thing, that situation. No one knows what happened to her. She just up and disappeared one day. She left everything behind, too." She paused for a moment, her brow wrinkling. "Oh, there were rumors that she left with another man or that she went back to wherever they came from – Illinois, I think it was."

"Ohio," Edward corrected gently.

"Right, right. Ohio." Doris nodded, but her eyes glanced over at me. "There's not much I can tell you. Her husband was adamant that she didn't run away, that something went...wrong. He screamed that she was taken, even though there weren't any signs of forced entry – no broken windows, no jimmied locks, that sort of thing. My husband helped in the search for her. All those woods around that house...she could've been anywhere."

"Is Mr. Dixon still in town?" I asked, joining the two of them at the counter.

"No, no..." She shook her head, waving a hand. "He and his daughter moved away about a year after his wife disappeared. They say he let the house go back to the bank – he even left furniture behind – but he never stopped searching for his wife." She sat up straight, her hands flat on the counter. "He moved clear across the country...California, I think." She grimaced a little, looking between Edward and me. "Small towns sometimes come with small minds," she said sadly. "There were a few that assumed he'd done something to her himself, and the story was him trying to cover it up. Nothing was ever proven. I just don't think he could handle the rumors, the whispers, or the accusations that his wife just...left him – or worse."

Something about that last statement broke my heart a little. Edward's pinky hooked mine below the counter, giving it a sweet, soothing tug, but his attention was on the woman behind the counter.

"Thank you for your help," he told her, giving her a small smile. "I think we got what we needed, and we still need to hit the library."

She grinned at him and nodded. "Glad I could help, kids."

I handed her back the files she'd given us, thanking her, as well.

"Not a problem. You go see old Bob Lewis. He's got most of Caribou's history down in the basement, and that includes the Varner House. Tell him I sent you," she told us, pointing a finger at us and shooting us a wink.

Edward chuckled, opening the door for me. "Thank you again."

We were quiet until the doors to the truck closed, and then we glanced up at each other.

"Okay, so Tim Dixon either killed his wife and tried to cover it up..." I started, grimacing at the mere idea.

"Or Lisa Dixon left her family high and dry, not even bothering to take her car," he finished.

But I could tell we were leading up to the same conclusion.

"Or..." he mused aloud, dragging the word out. "Or she really did go missing – she was killed or whatever – completely vanishing, the only thing left behind being a speck of blood." Edward's face was fierce at that theory, his eyes clouding over for a brief moment, and then he let out a deep breath. Cupping my cheek, he asked, "Library?"

When I nodded, he cranked the engine before picking up my hand and kissing the back of it. "Why do I have a funny feeling we won't like what we find out about Varner?"

I snorted and nodded. "Yeah, you're not the only one."

~oOo~

Groaning out of sheer frustration at yet another book giving me nothing, I pushed it away, grabbing the next. The basement of the library was also Bob Lewis's tiny museum dedicated to Caribou. There wasn't much – just enough to fill a room about the size of a small hotel room.

We'd been at this research for almost an hour and a half. William Varner, it seemed, was a rather important figure in the establishment of Caribou. Bob, who had responded better to me than Edward, had told us what he knew off the top of his head, but directed us to the basement to search through the rest of his collection. Not only did everyone in town think that the Varner place was haunted, but Edward and I had started to notice a pattern, and after having heard William Varner's story, we were now searching through every previous owner of our house that we could find.

William Varner came to northern Maine in 1900. He, his wife Elaine, and his six-month-old son Archie moved into a small place just inside town. They were originally from Maryland – or Washington D.C., really. He purchased and started construction on the house we were living in shortly after his arrival. William was responsible for bringing in "big city ideas" to Caribou. He helped start a modern schooling system, established a sheriff's office, and even encouraged a friend of his to open a bank in town. Varner was an even bigger deal than we'd first thought because besides being a teacher at the school, he'd also worked on developing the radio, something that became extremely important by 1917, when the U.S. joined in on WWI.

That little tidbit of information had me asking a million questions of Edward, who answered as much as he could remember from his human days. It shocked me that the radio – something almost insignificant now and technically obsolete – would make such a difference in a war. And the fact that William's son, Archie, was born the year before Edward was not lost on me whatsoever. I wondered if Archie had wanted to join the army like my Edward had.

But by 1918 – the same year of Edward's change – things for the Varner family started to go downhill. Elaine and Archie were out on their widespread property, supposedly checking Archie's rabbit traps, when a blizzard blew in. Elaine, a somewhat larger woman, fell, breaking her leg, and Archie was unable to get her back home. They'd been too far out. Doing the best he could, he tried to keep her warm, but by the time William and a few men found them two days later, Elaine was already falling ill...and Archie right behind her.

Elaine Varner died within the week of pneumonia, but Archie pulled through. However, the tragedy for William wasn't over, and it seemed this was where the pattern for the Varner house began. In the summer of 1920, no one had seen nor heard from either Archie or William in several weeks. When someone decided to pay a visit to the house, it seemed that the place had been abandoned – much like when Lisa Dixon disappeared – and that's where the history of the Varners ended.

Bob was able to fill in some blanks, but really, no one knew what had truly happened. It seemed that the two Varner men had disappeared, leaving everything behind – furniture in every room, clothes in both closets, horses in the back field and barn, even rotting food in the kitchen. After several years, the house was finally auctioned off to the highest bidder.

"Thank you, Mr. Lewis," Edward said, rumbling down the stairs of the library's basement.

I glanced up from the book on the table in front of me and chuckled at not only him using unnecessary noise – most likely for Bob's benefit – but at the disgruntled look on his face.

"Why are you running like hell itself is on your tail?" I asked him in a whisper as he breezed by me toward the back bookshelves.

"Never mind," he grumped once he was back, setting a rather large annal down and taking the seat next to mine.

"Edward," I chided, brushing his hair from his forehead. "You look...scared."

The most adorable look crossed his face, making him look like a pouting child. He huffed a rough exhale out through his nose, casting a scathing look to the ceiling.

"There's a book club convening upstairs," he stated, like that answered everything.

"And?" I asked with a laugh. "What? You don't like their reading material?"

"No, no," he scoffed, waving it off. "Though it sounds like a God-awful book they're about to start. But the... I mean... The members of the club all think..."

Grinning, I cupped his endearingly grumpy face. "Is this a bunch of bored housewives that are cougar-drooling over you?"

The scowl that Edward shot me made me laugh, burying it in his shoulder in order to maintain the library's quiet.

"No, smart ass... Well, okay, yes," he rambled, rolling his eyes when I laughed again. "But guess what book they just finished and now think I look just like the main character." His deadly-sexy raised eyebrow made my laugh catch in my throat.

"They were reading _Forever_?" I gasped, which started my giggles all over again.

"Why, yes, _Marie Anthony_," he growled playfully, leaning on my old pen name, though his amusement at my giggle-fit was plain as day on his beautiful face.

I snorted, trying to get my laughter under control. I'd written Edward's and my story years ago, after graduating from Dartmouth. Edward had begged me to do it, and I had, but only for him. Once the family had gotten ahold of it, they'd all encouraged me to publish it. It had done extraordinarily well – so well, in fact, that we'd had no other alternative but to fake Marie Anthony's death because the book had drawn so much attention. Despite the fact that she was a middle-aged woman living in Iowa, she'd really been me, and we just couldn't have me sought out.

"Aw," I purred, kissing his cheek. "That only means I described you well."

Edward harrumphed in reply but leaned into my kisses. "Just...tell me what you've found, Bella," he sighed, though he was smirking. "I'm willing to wait out the book club for my own sanity, but I'd like to get home sometime today."

Rolling my eyes at him because I could see his eyes darkening with every kiss I dropped to his cheek, neck, and jaw, I tugged the book I'd been flipping through closer. "Not much. From what I can figure, after the house was auctioned off, the next owner was a single man by the name of...Shepherd. Robert Shepherd. He owned the house from 1925 until 1930. However, he never really _lived_ there. He lived in Portland full-time. It was supposed to be turned into some sort of resort or hotel or something, but the plans and, from what I can tell, the money all fell through. He sold the house in 1931 to some sort of church?" I said, though I ended it in a question because I wasn't quite sure. "Well, it was a church type organization, but it still sat empty for the next few years. Here...look."

Edward pulled the book to him, scanning over the pages. When he reached the bottom of the page, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "An orphanage," he stated softly, shaking his head. "But there's not much on it."

"I know." I closed that book and picked it up. "I'll go get the next one."

By the time we'd gone through all that Bob's collection had to offer, the only thing we knew was that the Varner house had changed hands at least eleven times before the Dixons bought it. And anytime that anyone actually moved in, someone went missing. Because it was spread out over a century, no one saw the pattern, though that may have been where the haunted house rumors had originated. A hundred and sixteen years, twelve owners, six missing persons.

We were lucky number thirteen. But we were also a house full of vampires – beings that couldn't exactly be sneaked up on.

I shook my head slowly as I toted all the books back to their original shelves. I could see how the ghost explanation made sense, but then...it didn't. Even if it were true, despite what Hollywood had done to make ghosts scary, we were physically impenetrable. We couldn't be taken against our will. It would be impossible. We also didn't scare easily because in all essence, we were the top of the food chain.

Giving the bookshelf one last glance, I made a mental note to really, truly go through the library at home because it was quite possible that some of the books belonged to some of the owners throughout the years. Some of them were even old enough to have belonged to the Varners.

"You ready, sweet girl?" Edward asked softly from behind me.

"Yeah," I sighed, turning to face him and leaning back against the shelves behind me. "Though, I'm concerned about going back into that house...and what you'll hear." Reaching out, I tugged him closer and wrapped my arms around his waist. "With what we've found, it kinda sounds like the place is haunted or cursed or something. I just think we're missing some major part somewhere."

Edward nodded, leaning into me and pressing his forehead to mine. "You're worried for me, love. I know. But it's okay."

"Yes, I'm worried," I stated adamantly. "That was some hellified fear Jasper pushed out last night. I can't imagine what the mind sounded like."

He smirked a little, kissing my forehead, and I could see that he was avoiding this particular topic. In fact, he seemed to be searching out a distraction – any distraction.

"Then I'm glad you've got my back, baby," he crooned, leaning into my neck to leave a long, slow, open-mouthed kiss to my skin. "Knowing that you believed me helped, Bella. Thank you." He inhaled deeply right behind my ear, chuckling when I shivered. "You smell like old books."

I grinned. "I bet."

"It's kinda fitting for you...and sexy, if I'm to be honest." He snickered, pulling back to glance around us and then back to my face. "I always wanted you in a library..."

My mouth fell open with that admission. "I know we don't have time for that, Edward Cullen," I chided, but despite my protestations, my arms wound themselves around his neck, my hips pressed into his, and my leg snaked around his calf.

My body never answered to me because he owned it.

"Mm, indeed, love," he purred at what he heard in my mind, brushing the most teasing kiss across my lips. "I _do _own it..."

The kiss he laid on me would've most likely killed me as a human – not because it was harsh but because my heart would've exploded in my chest. It was hands gripping and groping at my ass, my waist, my breasts – both over and under my shirt. It was long, languid sweeps of his tongue that felt possessive and yet surrendering at the same time. And it was my favorite sound in the world – the long, rumbling, deep moan laced with a touch of a growl – that escaped him into the small silent space in which we were hidden.

Even as my fingers threaded into his hair, my legs secured themselves around his waist, and my lips barely left his, I was still trying to tell him this wasn't such a good idea.

"Baby, someone will come down here," I whispered, sweeping my lips over his, down his jaw, and finally latching onto his earlobe.

"Bob is on a break and smoking a cigarette outside. And the book club is gone," he stated firmly, dragging his teeth across my throat and leaving a nipping sting.

"As much as I'd love you to take me against these shelves, Edward, we still have to hit the hardware store on the way home," I told him, and once again, my body betrayed me because my hips rolled over his now very prominent, very hard erection.

"Yeah?" he asked, giving me that sexy crooked grin of his as he pressed me harder into the shelf behind me, grinding shamelessly into me.

"Yes, bathroom stuff," I reminded him.

"No, not that. You'd let me take you? Right here, love?" he asked in a voice so dangerous, it should've been deemed a lethal weapon.

I gave him a look that was probably a mix between incredulous and a great big, "Duh!"

Edward chuckled darkly, kissing me sweetly, but we both froze at the sounds we heard upstairs in the main part of the library. Kids. Lots of them, from what I could tell. It sounded like a classroom because a teacher told them to be quiet, find a table, and work on their projects.

Someone might as well have thrown a bucket of cold water on us because it seemed all kinds of wrong to continue our debauchery with little kids so close.

Edward's head fell to my shoulder as he got himself under control, but he huffed a small laugh. "Is it debauchery if we're married?"

Giggling, I smothered it into his neck. "It's in public, and we're supposed to be sixteen...and living under the same roof. And poor Bob couldn't handle it."

Edward chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to my neck before pulling back to gaze at me with sweet, honey eyes. "Bob liked you...thinks you're so very pretty and polite," he teased.

"Of course he does," I scoffed back with an eye roll, finally extricating myself from his embrace, but he didn't let me get far. "I'm a young, sixteen-year-old girl. You are a big, ole scary vampire..."

"Yes, that may be true." He laughed, kissing my temple. "But he really thinks I'm just the protective sibling."

"Good, then we did our job right," I told him with a nod of my head. "We should go, baby. I'd like to take a bath with you sometime this week. I miss it."

Edward gave into the panty-dropping, eye-crinkling, breathtaking, All-American smile that sometimes took over his face. He nodded once, shoving his hands into his front pockets, finally gazing up at me through his very long, very dark eyelashes. When an errant curl fell to the middle of his forehead, it was all I could do not to kiss him stupid. That look was his most powerful weapon – not speed, or venom, or mind-reading. Nope, the innocent way he looked at me when he couldn't think of anything to say was utterly deadly.

And it felt like ages since I'd seen it – or at least since we'd been in that strange house...which led me to the next question that popped out of my mouth.

"Will you be okay at home?" I asked, kissing his cheek.

His nose wrinkled a little, but he nodded. "I'm okay. It's unnerving, but I promise to tell you if I hear anything."

"Okay," I said, simply accepting that vow from him.

There wasn't much we could do about it. It bothered me to no end that there was no scent, no physical proof that what he was hearing really existed. But I knew my Edward, and he would never be this worried, this freaked out over something inane. My goal now was to find out what was plaguing him, even if it was a spirit or something. If this ghost had unfinished business, then I'd make sure we finished it for them.

~oOo~

"Baby girl!" Emmett's voice boomed from my attic bedroom. "Get your smelly ass up here!"

I laughed, climbing down from the ladder in the quiet library – too quiet, because I'd yet to find my iPod, which was irritating as hell. I could only assume that my big brother was about to show off his amazing plumbing skills. Between Rose and the boys, Edward's and my bathroom was just about complete when we'd returned from town. They'd put off working on the garage to help us get our room usable.

I, however, had still been in research mode by the time we'd pulled into the driveway, so as the guys unloaded tubs, toilets, and sinks, I'd started going through the bookshelves book by book, checking to see if any were something other than published works. I was looking for notes, journals, diaries...whatever I could find. And there were _so many_ books. I'd worked my way through one side of the room well into the night and had just started the other side.

As I made my way through the house, I noticed Alice had stayed busy, as well. Esme's order of curtains and window treatments must've arrived because the living room was now framed by a soft, tan material. Alice had also unpacked her and Jasper's room, arranged Emmett and Rose's room, and apparently, decorated mine and Edward's, as well, because when I stepped in, I hardly recognized it.

"Whoa," I breathed, taking in red and gold and black. It was a sharp contrast to the blues that Esme always used for us, but I liked it. A lot. "Alice, did you—"

"Yep!" she chirped, tossing a pillow onto my bed. "But I was merely going by Esme's plan."

Giggling once, I shook my head a little. My bed seemed to be sitting on a pedestal in the round part of the room, because it was two steps above the rest of the room. A deep red, sheer material flowed from the ceiling to the floor behind it, catching the color that seemed to be prominent in the bedspread and covering the harsh brick. Two wall sconces cast a soft glow on either side of the black, metal headboard and over two nightstands, and the walls were a soft, warm creamy peanut butter. All of Edward's and my clothes were now hung up in some sort of color coordinated order in my new closet that Alice was closing. My dresser was placed next to it, already filled and decorated. Across from that and underneath the windows was a chaise in black leather, and behind it were the same sheer red curtains flowing to the floor.

"The only thing I didn't do was hang your pictures," she stated, pointing to two boxes tucked away in the corner. "I know you two like to do that."

I smiled and hugged her. "Thank you, Alice."

"Mmhm," she hummed, spinning me around to face the bathroom, where the guys and Rose were waiting patiently.

It was stark white, modern, with splashes of stainless steel everywhere, not to mention frosted glass. It was perfect and clean and finished. I couldn't wait to use it, but when I caught sight of my brothers, I cracked up because Emmett and Jasper were sitting fully clothed in my bathtub. Their backs were on either end, and long legs were everywhere. Both Rose and Edward were rolling their eyes but smiling at them as they leaned against the vanity. Damn, I loved my family with a sickness sometimes.

Edward's gaze snapped up to mine, and he laughed. "Sometimes, love?"

I nodded and stepped into the overly crowded bathroom. "Wow, lack of sleep really does come in handy, huh?"

"Well, Bells," Emmett said haughtily, trying to sound serious but failing miserably, "I figure I can't share a bathroom with you. What if I walk in on you...? Tsk, tsk, tsk," he scoffed, hopping up out of the tub. "First, Eddie would kick my ass. Then _Rose_ would kick my ass. And we can't have two ass-kickings in one day. So the only solution...the way I saw it...was to get this shit done as soon as fucking possible."

"Umm, thanks?" I said, and it came out more like a question because sometimes, Emmett was just...Emmett.

"Sometimes?" Edward asked again, smirking when I laughed at him.

Jasper grinned, also standing up out of the tub. "You're welcome, baby girl," he said, obviously feeling my gratitude.

"Thank you," I said aloud for those in the room without some sort of talent.

Rose laughed softly, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "You're welcome, but there's a price. I may need your help in the garage. I checked it out, and there's a shitload of books boxed up in there."

"Yeah, sure. No problem," I told her. "But when are Carlisle and everyone due in?"

"Mid-afternoon, love," Edward answered. "Their flight lands in a few hours, and then they'll drive here from Portland."

"Which reminds me," Jasper added, looking to Edward, who was already nodding, "Carlisle asked us to hunt, to be ready for when he and Esme arrive with Kevin and Adrian. He's not sure what the travel will be like for the two of them, so he wants us sharp. You and Bells have already hunted, so we're going to go now."

Edward nodded silently to Jasper again, answering some silent question, but if I was picking up on what Jasper was emitting, then it was a touch of worry. My brother wasn't sure if he should leave Edward with the possibility of hearing another strange thought.

But of course, Emmett had to open his big mouth.

"Yo, Ed, if you happened to hear your ghost again, don't panic. Just tell him to walk toward the light," he guffawed, pointing away from him. "You know...yonder!"

The snarl that Edward let loose was frightening, loud, and a complete change from the calm mood he'd been in when I'd stepped into the bathroom. Two hands – Rose's and Jasper's – reached out and smacked the back of Emmett's head. Hard.

"Get out, Emmett," I seethed, shaking my head as I watched Jasper grumpily manhandle a sheepish Emmett out of our room and down the stairs.

I knew Emmett didn't mean to set his brother off, but this seemed to be a close-to-the-surface issue with Edward. With a deep sigh, I looked to my husband. He was still so pissed, bracing his strong arms on the vanity. He'd shatter everything in the mood he was now in, I knew without a doubt. Maneuvering my body between his and the bathroom counter, I popped up between his braced arms. Hopping up on the counter, I sat in order to see him face to face, but he wouldn't look at me.

"I wish you wouldn't get so mad, baby," I whispered, running my fingers through his hair. "We're all just trying to help...and that includes Em. He's just trying to lighten stuff up. It's what we've always done."

Edward nodded infinitesimally, but he continued to glare at my lap. "He's not sure he believes me," he said so softly that, had I been human, I wouldn't have heard it.

My nostrils flared as I huffed a frustrated breath, and I made a mental note to kick my largest brother's ass when he got home.

"He thinks hearing minds for so long has...broken something in me," he continued, still in the very quiet voice he'd been using.

It took a bit of struggling, but I forced Edward's gaze to mine, and his eyes were black as pitch. "_I_ believe you. _Jasper_ believes you. _Alice _believes you. Does Emmett really think that? Or are you letting a fleeting thought rule your feelings?"

When he shrugged and looked away, I knew I'd hit the nail on the head. I was damn sure when Emmett first heard what was going on, he'd doubted it all because not a bit of it made any sense. But I couldn't imagine he'd really think Edward was making it up or thought him to be...broken.

Edward's gaze snapped up to meet mine. "You...don't think I'm crazy?"

I grinned, shaking my head slowly. "Crazy about me, maybe."

His lips twitched a little, but he immediately frowned again. "Don't do that. Don't change the subject. What if... I mean... Tanya went insane."

I closed my eyes, wishing tears could fall at such a worry coming from my beautiful Edward. God, was that what he'd been worried about all this time? Why his temper was so sharp these days?

"Baby, _no_," I soothed, shaking my head fervently as I cupped his handsome yet distraught face. "I don't think that at all. Just because this...this thing is going on here doesn't mean it's not real. You functioned perfectly in town today. Just like always. You aren't crazy, Edward. Please don't think that."

Edward tried to touch me over my jeans and on the outside of my thighs, but his hands just ended back up in fists on top. I rubbed them profusely, but he didn't relent.

"Edward, you know that Tanya wasn't all that stable to begin with," I told him, my voice harsher than I'd intended it to be. "Carlisle has told you that. And she was living an extremely long unfulfilled life. She was lonely, delusional. You..." I exhaled, squeezing the still-clenched fists on my lap because the thought of Tanya still made me irrationally angry. "You, my sweet, sweet man, are none of those things. You, if anything, are the epitome of stable, reliable, and courageous. Are you even listening to me?"

He nodded, trying once again to touch me, but this time, he pulled completely away, taking two steps back from me. "I feel so... I'm not..." He started to pace, which was kind of impossible in the small space of the bathroom. His face was fierce, a pure predator when he finally looked up at me. "I just... I want to fucking break something, Bella."

I flinched at his language because he rarely used it outside of our bedroom, and it was never said with such ire, but I nodded in acquiescence. I could see that he was barely hanging onto his composure.

"Not my new bathroom, Edward Cullen," I told him, hopping down from the vanity, but I grabbed his hand – or his still-clenched fist, really – and tugged him along behind me. "Not only will you regret it, but I still have plans to get you in here."

I led him down the stairs, through the living room, finally ending up in the library. It was the only room left to be unpacked.

"Here," I said, pushing him into the room. "Take it out on these boxes. Make a ginormous pile of books, and I'll clean it up later. You'll be helping me out. Just...don't break my piano," I warned him.

His head spun around to look at me, and I shrugged, folding my arms across my chest. There were wooden crates, metal containers, and cardboard boxes everywhere. And they were all his for destruction. We could get new boxes whenever we moved again, but I refused to let my husband suffer.

Edward's movement was a blur. One strong fist slammed down on the closest wooden crate, shattering it into oblivion. Large books spilled out over the floor, but he'd already moved on to the next and the next and the next. I could feel every punch, every rip, every spilled book rumble through the floor. But my heart could feel every growl, every grunt, and every hissed curse word.

He hadn't been this upset since he'd learned of our connection. Marcus had researched why we ached so badly when we were apart, finally finding evidence of a rare mating situation called _completi l'anima_. Complete soul. It was beautiful and amazing because we were connected like no other. The electricity that sizzled around us almost on a constant basis bound our souls together as one. The downfall – and the reason Edward had lost his temper – was that time apart was physically detrimental to our lives. And Edward blamed himself for it all because of when he'd left me for two years.

Another poor box met its demise, and I shielded the piano and Emmett's drums from the aftermath. The pile of books was growing, and the remaining crates were dwindling. I wasn't really sure what Edward would do once he ran out of things to break.

I couldn't watch anymore, so I turned to gaze out the window. The night was dark, every star in the sky twinkling like diamonds on black velvet. A raccoon waddled his way across the backyard, disappearing into the underbrush. An owl glided silently across the sky just above the tops of the trees. But the room behind me had come to a standstill.

"I'm sorry," I heard behind me. His voice was so soft, so contrite, but I could still hear his anger.

"Don't be."

"No, love...I'm..." he started but was suddenly right behind me, his hands on my waist and his lips on the back of my head.

Spinning to face him, I leaned back against the window. I met a weary, still angry, but very beautiful face. "You know that thing you always tell me? You know, how you'd do anything for me? Give me the world?" I asked him, and he nodded. "Well, Mr. Cullen, that goes both ways, you know. So don't apologize for taking a little bit of selfish time."

I refused to look at the room behind him, afraid of what I'd see, but I was also afraid to look away from his dark eyes. I was terrified of him losing himself to whatever this was.

"I'm sorry," he whispered again, closing his eyes as he listened to my thoughts.

"Don't apologize to me, Edward. Just...talk to me. What do you need?" I finally growled at him, gripping the front of his shirt.

Fiery eyes locked with mine, and I was pulled closer by his gripping hands. "You," he practically snarled. "I feel so...out of control, Bella. And the only thing keeping me sane is you..."

Something about the raspy growl of his voice, the sensual tenor of his statement, and the deadly look in his eye that was begging me to help made me narrow my eyes at him.

"Oh, damn," I breathed, cupping his face.

I should've recognized the signs back at the library in town. I should've known that he wasn't distracted. Not at all. My sweet Edward had been in what we called a moment – an overwhelming feeling of need and desire that couldn't be helped. But now... Now, adding in his temper, this was something completely different. And I wasn't really sure how to handle it.

"Jesus, Edward. I'm sorry," I said softly. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I don't know," he whispered back, shaking his head and pulling me even closer. "The kids...and we had to get back...and... I don't _know_, Bella," he said again, though this time through clenched teeth. His long fingers threaded into my hair at the base of my skull, exposing my neck. Edward's low growl vibrated against my skin as his nose trailed along my throat and up to my ear. "But fuck, I need you, love," he purred, and it was laced with a menacing tone.

A shudder ran through me at how he sounded – like pure sex, completely dominant, and totally out of control. The moment combined with that feeling of instability meant there was only one way for Edward to calm down. And that was to lose himself in me – in us.

"I'm yours, baby," I stated, unable to keep the purr of want from my voice because, despite his temper, he would never hurt me. It was impossible. And dear God, I wanted him, if only to assuage the disbelief in himself, because my faith in him was unwavering.

The sexiest, almost evil smile curled up the corners of his mouth as he looked up at me through his long eyelashes. Dragging his tongue slowly across his bottom lip, he finally bit down for a moment, like he was fighting a war inside of himself to hold back. Stepping closer, he pressed me into the window, looming over me.

"_Mine_," he growled softly, pressing his forehead to mine as I nodded a little.

If I'd thought the kiss in the public library was heated, I was so very wrong. Nothing prepared me for the one he landed on me against that window. It was all-consuming, claiming, and rough, and its accompaniment of grinding hips and strong grasps caused a desperate whimper to escape me as I practically climbed Edward's long, lean body. With sure hands, he cupped my bottom, picking me up so that I could wrap my legs around his waist.

I felt myself being tugged away from the cold glass, but I didn't open my eyes until I felt the hard line of a bookshelf press against my back. My eyes snapped open, and I pulled back to see heated mixed with evil gazing back at me wearing a slightly crooked smile.

"I told you I wanted to fuck you in a library. I'm not sure I care which one...this one or the one in town. I haven't changed my mind, my sweet, beautiful girl," he rasped, tilting his head as he watched his own hand tear my shirt away in the blink of an eye. The material fluttered to the library floor, landing atop books and debris, and my jeans and underwear met the same fate.

Reaching for his shirt, I ripped it open, sending buttons flying through the room. They pinged everywhere, landing with the rest of the destruction, and the shirt lay open to reveal skin and abs and that little trail of hair that always made my mouth water. Gliding my hands over his glorious chest, up his neck, and into his hair, I yanked his mouth back to mine, and he let me, though I was pretty sure my control was about to be pretty damn limited.

My breathing stopped altogether when Edward's hands gripped my ass, spreading me open just a little, but when his fingers slipped closer to where I was already aching for him, his teeth nipped at my bottom lip. He teased both entrances and my clit, not really giving me any sort of relief, but he pulled back to watch me writhe under his touch.

"Look at you," he crooned, though the deep tenor was still there. "So wet for me, baby. Always ready..." he breathed, arching me back so that his lips could capture my now tightly-peaked nipple. "You want this, don't you?" he asked, gazing up at me as he switched to my other breast. "You want me to take you hard...right here."

I wasn't sure if he meant his fingers, his mouth, or the hard cock that was practically bursting through the denim of his jeans as he found a little friction against me, but the answer was a resounding, "Yes!"

Long fingers delved into my core from behind, his thumb applying enough pressure to my ass to make me cry out his name and grip the tattered remains of his shirt. The soft material shredded under my fingers by accident, so I latched onto his broad shoulders once it had hit the floor.

"Don't come, baby," he warned in my ear. "Wait."

It was an almost impossible command to follow because he knew just how to curl his fingers, just how much pressure to apply to my other entrance and to my clit, and just how to kiss my neck right below my ear to make me lose it. My whole body ached to come as he drove me closer and closer.

"Edward, please," I begged, my head falling back to the books behind me with a dull thump as my hips rolled to seek my release. "I can't..."

"You_ will_," he growled, and he stopped everything he was doing to me. With a flat hand that was drenched in my arousal, he slipped up my stomach, between my breasts, and into my hair, bringing my forehead roughly to his. "When you come, I want it on _my cock_, Bella – and when I tell you to. I promise you... It'll be worth it."

Panting in pure, unadulterated want of him, I nodded, because this was what he needed. I'd always teased Edward by allotting names to the different moods he had, but this was different – and I was pretty sure the moment earlier had everything to do with it. But this was Possessive Edward, Dirty Edward, and Dominate Edward all rolled into one, with a dash of Needy Edward on the side. It was not only a heady combination on him, but unbelievably sexy. He was sure of himself, sure of us, and he was asserting his control over the one thing he knew he could. Me. And I wanted him to.

I had no alternative but to submit to him and to whatever he was thinking – if he was thinking at all. It seemed that he was being driven by some sort of instinct.

_I love you. I trust you,_ I thought to him, but my mouth dropped open a little when he reached between us to rid himself of his jeans.

Since he never wore underwear, his thick, heavy cock landed between our stomachs. Unable to help myself, I reached for him, licking my lips at the same time, but I suddenly found both my hands captured in one of his and pressed into the shelf above my head.

"No, love," he crooned dangerously, shaking his head slowly and licking his lips. "Not yet, baby. You said you wanted me to take you like this. I'm _going _to take you."

"Please, Edward," I begged in a whisper, because it was all a little too much and he'd brought me so close to climax with his hand that I was just about to lose my mind. I was swollen and ready and throbbing to the point that it was almost painful.

Whether he was waiting for me to beg him or he just couldn't wait anymore, he finally lined up with my entrance, sheathing himself completely. Our sounds echoed through the room – a long, low snarling growl from him, and a gasping cry from me. Fuck, he felt good.

"Jesus, fuck...yes," he hissed, burying his face into my neck.

Gripping his hand that was still holding mine above my head, I was almost shaking with need. He didn't want me to come, but damn, just the feel of him inside me was shoving me back to the precipice in which I'd been teetering. Everything about him was made for me – his voice of velvet and warm silk, his smell of honey and clean linen, and his hard-as-steel cock that stroked the spot deep inside of me that always made me lose control.

"Oh, no, Isabella," he chided sexily, nipping at my jaw. "Not until I tell you. I feel how close you are. This beautiful pussy can't help it when I'm inside of her. I know. But just wait."

I huffed a breath through my nose, my head falling back to the books again. My eyes rolled back at not only his words, but how true they really were. My hands struggled against his as he took me with long, deep, angling strokes. I wanted to touch him. I needed to come. But his chanting warning was a constant whisper in my ear.

"Not yet...not yet... Baby, wait..."

"Edward," I begged, though it sort of sounded like a dry sob.

Wet lips brushed across my own, and black eyes locked with mine. "I want to watch you fall apart for me, Bella. Now, love. Come hard," he commanded, his thumb seeking out my clit and applying just enough pressure to cause my tenuous hold to completely unravel.

Blinding white spots exploded behind my eyelids as my mouth fell open in a silent scream. My whole body shook with the force of my orgasm, and another sob escaped me because it was overwhelming and completely out of control.

I found myself pressed into the soft cushions of the couch, my body and my core still wrapped around Edward.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he chanted in a whisper as he dropped sweet, soft kisses to my eyes, my nose, and finally, my lips.

"I'm not," I breathed, happy that I was able to touch him, hold his face to mine.

Edward braced his hands on the arm of the sofa, but his gaze, though still very dark and very heated, was much warmer. He began to move in me again, and this time, it was slow, loving, and the epitome of my Sweet Edward back in my arms. I knew him, and I knew this was his way of making up for being so rough, but it wasn't needed. I loved every aspect of my beautiful Edward.

"No, Edward," I soothed, leaning up to kiss his lips, his jaw, and his neck. "Come, baby. Let it go."

I didn't know if I meant his needless apology or his worry about me or his fear of what this house was doing to him – maybe it was all of the above – but I shifted my legs higher around his waist, urging him to come. He buried his face in my neck, my name a constant chant in my ear as he finally spilled heavily inside me. Wrapping his arms around me, he allowed all of his weight to rest on my body. It was a comfortable weight, heavy and warm.

Closing my eyes, I played with his hair, trying to calm myself down, as well as Edward.

"I love you," he mumbled into my neck, and I grinned, kissing the side of his head.

"Love you, too, baby."

I sighed in relief and contentment. My body felt like jello, my muscles loose from how sated I felt, and maybe from the stress of seeing him so angry, as well.

Edward exhaled roughly, pulling back to finally lock eyes with mine.

"Don't you dare apologize, Edward Cullen," I said with a kiss to his lips to shut him up, giggling when he huffed a soft laugh.

"Yes, ma'am," he conceded, kissing my forehead. His brow furrowed a little, but I waited until he finally found words. "I should've told you...what I was feeling. That snowballed," he stated, his nose wrinkling in a sheepish gesture.

"Maybe," I allowed, shrugging a shoulder, and he placed a kiss to it. "You're not crazy, Edward. You're not out of control or losing it. And you're definitely not fucking _broken_," I growled, shaking my head and rolling my eyes at the absurdity of that idea. "We _will_ figure what you're hearing. Even if I have to get a priest in here to perform an exorcism. Hmm?"

He grinned, but it faded away just as quickly as it showed up. "Thank you," he simply said, reaching up to tuck my now unruly hair behind my ear. "Not unruly..." He snorted, fighting his smile. "Umm...disheveled."

"Just-been-thoroughly-fucked hair, Edward," I corrected with a laugh.

"Yeah, that." He laughed, kissing my lips lightly. "Best. Hairstyle. Ever."

I giggled, wrapping my arms around him. As much as I loved all my Edwards, Sweet Edward was my favorite, and I was glad he was back. I gave the room around us a quick glance and groaned. Garbage, books, ruined clothes, shredded boxes – it was everywhere. Luckily, the piano, Emmett's drums, and the few guitars that were laying around were left unscathed.

"I'll help, I swear," he vowed, looking contrite and sheepish again.

Nodding, I pushed and shoved at him until we were sitting up. "Well, good," I told him in a singing manner, "because I wasn't quite done researching in here. Keep me company?"

He smiled, looking like the young boy in which he was frozen, and nodded. "Absolutely," he stated, scooping me up into his arms and rushing us upstairs so we could get redressed.

I started for the closet, but his strong hand wrapped around my forearm. I turned to face him, my brow wrinkling at the unsure and slightly nervous face he was sporting. He gave our new bathroom a quick glance, swallowing thickly.

"You... I mean, you still want that bath?" he asked, trying to fight his smile as he played with my hair.

Grinning, I nodded. "Yeah, Edward. You start the water. I'll get the towels."

"I've already got them, love," he stated with his trademark crooked grin, and my head fell back with my laughter when I was suddenly scooped up again and toted into the bright new bathroom.

Messes, books, and possible ghosts were all going to have to wait just a little longer.

* * *

**A/N… Yeah, Edward was feeling…out of sorts. Combine that with a "moment," and all hell broke loose. Before you start arguing that Jasper had felt something the night before, keep in mind that this is Edward we're talking about. He has a tendency to keep the weight of the world on his shoulders. And this is the first time in his long 115 years that something didn't quite match up with his talent.**

**You just gotta love really strong, really fast people that don't need to sleep. Imagine all the things that you could get done! LOL**

**And then there's the house. Lots of history, lots of bad things over the years. And there's more to come on that. Promise.**

**I'm not sure that Chapter 4 will post Sunday or Wednesday. This coming weekend is my 10****th**** wedding anniversary, and I may not be around to post. Either way, the rest of the family comes home in chapter 4, so I know you guys are excited about that.**** Until then… Mooches, Deb.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N… Thank you guys for all the anniversary wishes! :D This will post early. When it posts will be the key. As I write these notes, it's still up in the air as to whether it'll be Saturday or Sunday.**

**Oh, your theories rock! LOL Some of you are pretty sure it's a ghost that Edward's hearing. Others are breaking away from that. A couple of you are SO CLOSE! XD But you all agree that poor Edward was allowed a little breakdown. That's good.**

**One of you asked how long Bella's been changed… If my own math is correct (and that's always an iffy thing in itself. Fuck, I hate math.) then she's been changed approximately seven years…married to Edward a little less. For those that have done the math better than me, let me know if I'm off. I'll correct it. ;)**

**This chapter is the one I think most of you have been waiting for… KEVIN! :D So I will let you get to it.**

* * *

Chapter 4

**EDWARD**

"Love, what exactly were you looking for?" I asked, tossing another pile of shredded cardboard boxes into the rolling garbage can.

I scowled at just how much damage I'd caused, shaking my head a little. Nothing major had been destroyed – no guitars, no drums, not even the piano...though I had suspicions that Bella had shielded them. A few of Carlisle's books would have to be rebound – a fact that brought my guilt boiling to the surface. I shouldn't have lost control, but I had, and now I'd have to face the consequences.

My sweet girl turned around on the ladder she was standing atop of, flipping through a burgundy leather-bound book, only to place it back on the shelf behind her. She was adorable with still-damp hair from our recent bath in our new bathroom; it was all wound up into a loose knot on the top of her head. She was wearing long, baby blue plaid pajama bottoms, one of my blue T-shirts, and no socks, leaving her with bare feet. She looked and smelled so sweet that I could barely keep myself from scooping her up again. Once again, she'd been the rock while I'd fallen apart, and she'd allowed me to bury it all inside her. And instead of worrying or fretting, she'd just taken it, never batting an eye.

"The thing is this," she said, not looking my way as she grabbed the next book. "Mrs. Delap said that all these books came with the house, right?" she verified, and I nodded when she gave me a quick glance. "Well, I was thinking that maybe...just _maybe_, some of them were personal items from previous owners."

"You mean like journals or something?" I verified, returning to my work of picking the ripped and busted boxes.

Bella beamed at me. "Exactly!" She turned back to her work, saying, "And there's more than this, apparently. Rose said there are boxes in the garage."

"Yeah, eventually, we'll have to figure out what to do with them all because we've got our own books to store in here," I muttered, frowning at the old medical reference book that was slightly ripped. "Carlise's gonna kill me."

"No, he won't," Bella said with a giggle. "And if he tries, I'll shield you."

That made me grin. "Thanks, baby."

Just when I couldn't love her more, something came along to prove me wrong. She was the absolute best thing that had ever happened to me. Hands down. She knew I wasn't perfect – and had no problem telling me so – but she also backed me one hundred percent, no matter what.

"Mmhmm," she hummed distractedly.

I glanced out the window over the backyard. The sun was trying to emerge through the thick trees and even thicker clouds. Our siblings were due back soon, I was pretty sure. I needed to apologize to Emmett; it wasn't his fault that I was feeling strangely unbalanced with all the things that had been running through my head as of late – both my own thoughts and foreign. I also knew we all had quite a bit of work ahead of us. We needed to at least take a look at the basement to note what needed to be done, and we still had the garage to attend to. Aside from a few rooms left for the future occupants to paint, the house was now at least acceptable – something that caused a feeling of pride to swell within me. Esme would add her own touches and most likely change a few things, but the rest of our family only had rooms to paint and boxes of personal items to unpack.

Family. I snorted a soft laugh and shook my head at the thought. A little over ten years ago, I never would have thought I'd be mated to the most beautiful girl, much less have three more members in my family. But time had a tendency to change things quickly, especially in this life. It seemed like just yesterday that it was only Carlisle and me. I was sure we'd never even dreamed what our family would turn into – and we would've never expected someone like Kevin.

"What's got you so amused over there?" Bella asked with a laugh and a wrinkle to her brow.

"Kevin," I answered, my chuckle coming out harder.

"Ah, are you ready for him, Heavy E?" she teased, shooting a wink my way as she stepped down off the ladder.

I snorted, rolling my eyes at Kevin's nickname for me. "No, not even a little bit."

Bella's giggle was almost musical, but she nodded, putting her hands on her hips as she surveyed the room. "It'll take some getting used to, I'm sure." Her brilliant mind calculated the books on the floor versus the space left on a few empty bookcases at the same time she mused about what having two fairly new immortals would mean to the rest of us.

"They'll fit, sweet girl," I told her, rolling the now overflowing garbage can out into the living room to take out later. "You get on that ladder. I'll hand them to you. Okay?"

"Sure," she chirped, scurrying to the top.

"And Adrian's not that new, Bella," I said, touching on her thoughts as I gathered a large stack of Carlisle's books. "He'll be two years into this life, and Marcus says he doing very well with our diet. Kevin is now a full year. His newborn strength has almost leveled out, and he chose this life – the same as you, love – so he's just as adjusted. I can't see them being all that hard to maintain."

"I know," she said, smirking a little as she hoisted books onto the shelf. "I have a feeling that with Kevin, it'll be more about fitting in...in _public. _And I'm not really sure I mean his immortality," she stated, raising an eyebrow at me.

I laughed, kissing her fingers quickly before she took the next stack of books from me. "You may have a point. Kevin truly is...exuberant."

"Exuberant," she repeated wearing a grin. "Yeah... Yeah, that works."

I continued to hand her books until the shelves were full and there were only a few remaining on the floor. She picked those up and stacked them neatly on the table at the end of the sofa.

"Everyone should be back from hunting soon, don't you think?" she asked, but I'd frozen where I was standing.

_Hunting... nothing... more than I thought. Must go!_

I tried like hell to see more, but the blackness, the emptiness that accompanied this mind was just as strong as it had been the first time. However, the fear behind it had only increased.

Gentle hands cupped my face, but instead of speaking, Bella used her mind. _You're hearing it. Right now._

When I nodded, she frowned a little, turning a little to the room. "Hello?" she called out, thinking that at this point, it was worth a shot. "Anyone here?" she asked, slowly starting to walk around the room.

_No, no, no! Too close, too much... No one here..._

The mind was practically screaming in anger and terror, still blotchy, still like static, which made it absolutely impossible for me to narrow down where it was coming from.

I reached for Bella, pulling her back to my chest. "Stop, baby," I barely made a sound whispering into her ear. "For some reason, you're making it worse."

She nodded fervently but turned to look at the library's doorway because our siblings were back. It was wild-eyed Jasper that entered the room first. Terror was rolling off him in waves, but it was merely what he'd felt, not his own.

"What the fuck?" he growled low, glancing between me and Bella. "That was worse than last time."

"Bella tried communicating," I stated, shrugging a shoulder. "I heard it twice, though."

Alice burst into the room, past a rigid Emmett and Rose, who were merely waiting for what would happen next. "I saw you decide to talk," she gushed, pointing to Bella. "You...You disappeared for a second. Both of you. It was like...you know when the wolves would decide to come. Just...gone. Poof! Blackness."

My eyebrows rose high because that was more than Alice had seen before. It seemed that not only the fear was stronger, but whatever I was hearing was finally reaching the rest of my family. And if Alice was starting to get glimpses – even blank disappearances – then I needed to really reevaluate what this...this _thing_ might be.

_Yo, Edward_, Emmett thought to me, leaving the room silent. _Man, I don't know what this shit is, but if I have to tear down walls, we'll find out. Okay?_

I nodded once, smirking a little. He felt badly that he'd upset me earlier, but not until this moment had he truly considered how concerned I'd been. I waved off his silent apology because my frame of mind had been out of my control. Looking to Alice, I made the decision to scour the house and the grounds for proof.

"Nope. Nothing," she sighed, her worried eyes meeting mine. "Don't bother. However, Carlisle's decided to buy a car instead of renting one, which means they've landed, so they'll be here soon."

"You know what?" Emmett suddenly spoke aloud. When we turned to him, his face was solemn, almost fierce. "Let's get the fuck outta this house. We'll all work outside. What do you say?"

"Umm, yeah," Bella agreed instantly, grabbing my hand. "Most definitely. We'll give the house a rest."

~oOo~

"God, what is that smell?" Bella growled, her nose wrinkling.

"Something died back in there somewhere," Emmett groaned, grimacing a little. "That's a new development since I opened these doors yesterday."

The whole lot of us groaned along with him. As if our senses weren't sharp enough as it was, adding in something so potent as a possible dead rat buried beneath a mountain of boxes and junk just made it all the worse because we had to smell it the entire time we were emptying it all out. But the unanimous mindset was that out here was ever so much better than inside the house, considering they were all more than a little concerned about what was happening in there.

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Rose asked, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Books go to Bella for sorting," Jasper stated, jerking a thumb over his shoulder. "Clothes and shit like that can be tossed. And it looks like there's some old farm equipment back there. We can scrap it or sell it...whatever you want."

We all nodded in agreement. Eying the rather large garage, I could see years of just junk. I'd be willing to bet that each time someone bought the house, they stored whatever the previous owner had left behind in here. Eventually, it had just stacked up to the ceiling.

"This is like an archeological dig," Bella muttered, narrowing her eyes at it all. "Look... Decades are clearly represented in layers by what type of boxes are used."

I grinned because she was right. Out front and on top were the most recent – grocery boxes and Walmart bags were plainly marked. But as I looked closer toward the back, I could see Pepsi and Coke logos from the seventies, Moon Pie boxes from the sixties, and something that looked like a local market farther back – and those were made of wood. I shook my head because I couldn't imagine in what condition some of this stuff was.

We worked quickly. Six very strong, very fast hands made the work go easier. Right out front of the three raised garage doors was a staging of different items. All the boxes containing books and papers of any sort went on the far end, clothes and old molded bedding went in the middle, and the rest – tools, old appliances, and even childrens' toys – were piled up on the end. Some things had been in there so long, they were hardly recognizable due to decomposition, mold, and mildew. Our goal was to empty the damn thing first and then dispose of whatever had died in the back.

"Raccoon," Emmett finally called from the very back of the building once there was enough stuff out of the way.

Bella's head snapped up, her brow wrinkling as she clearly remembered seeing one the night before. In her mind, I saw a waddling raccoon wander around the backyard from the window of the library. She started to ask how something of that size got back there, but decided against it.

"There could be a hole in the wall somewhere, Bella," I answered her anyway. "He could've squeezed in but then couldn't figure out how to squeeze back out."

Emmett rushed out of the garage with the damn thing and toted it far into the woods. His mind noted that the animal had seen better days – it was withered and broken, most likely attacked by rats when it actually died, because the fur and hide were a little wrecked.

When he came back, he said with a grimace, "Well, Mr. Raccoon wasn't the only thing to get trapped in here. Look." He pointed toward the farthest back corner.

Clearly, there had to have been a small crack in the corner of the building somewhere, because there was a small pile of animal bones in the corner next to the end of what looked to be a long, dilapidated workbench – something Rose was already planning to remove and rebuild. Kneeling down next to the pile, I ran a thumb over the canine of a small, white skull.

"Cats, rats, squirrels, chipmunks..." I mused, frowning at the pile. I'd taken enough physiology and biology classes to know an animal by its remains. "There's even a small dog back here," I noted, though the bones looked to be quite old. "They all would've sought shelter but couldn't get out."

"I found the hole!" Alice called from outside. She was at the back of the building, but at the opposite corner.

"That's what she said," Emmett said with a waggle of his eyebrows and his trademark grin, causing all of us to crack up.

"I heard that!" Alice growled, but I could hear her amusement plain as day. "Can we just get this done?" she sighed exasperatedly once she was back inside with the rest of us.

Bella's giggle was adorable coming from the stack of boxes she was about to start sorting. She shot our brother a quick glance, smiling and shaking her head. Kneeling down next to the most recent of the stored items, she cracked open a box. It was childrens' books, and from what I could see, there were a lot of them.

Moving down next to her, I peered inside.

"We shouldn't throw these away," she murmured, rummaging through the box. She noted all the titles and authors she recognized from when she was a child – Dr. Seuss, Beverly Cleary, even the brothers Grimm. But the thought that was swirling in her mind came bubbling up to the surface. "These must've belonged to Caroline Dixon. Her father didn't take anything with them..." She glanced down at the pile at the other end of the garage, gazing at pretty recent toys and then the next pile, which clearly were clothes for a little girl. "Not a thing, it seems."

Something about the last owners of this house bothered Bella. I wasn't sure if it was the disappearance of Lisa Dixon or the absolute defeat of her husband Tim, but she didn't like one bit of it. Considering that Tim and Caroline had lasted a year in this house after Lisa went missing was interesting to her, especially since our research told us that no one lasted that long. But Bella was convinced that something finally made Tim and Caroline haul ass out of this house without so much as a glance back.

Running a hand flat over her head, I brushed her hair off her shoulder, giving her neck a gentle squeeze. "If you want, love, we can get in touch with Bob at the library...see if he'll take them. At least someone could use them."

"We should do that with most of these," she stated softly, nodding at me.

"Okay," I agreed, "then I'll call him later. Would that make you feel better?" I smiled when she nodded. "Good. Just make a pile, baby. We'll get them there. Do you want help?"

"No," she sighed, gazing the pile in front of her, "I've got this. Maybe if we hurry, we can get done before Carlisle and everyone gets here."

Everyone had paused to listen to her; they could hear the emotion in her voice, although Jasper felt her melancholy the most concerning little Caroline Dixon.

_Is she okay, Ed?_ His thoughts were concerned, but understanding, because this whole move had been strange.

I nodded once to him, dropping a kiss to the top of her head before standing up. Since our return from the library, we hadn't really had the chance to go over everything with our siblings. I'd been hoping to wait for Carlisle, but I could see that this was something they all needed to know. As we began to toss things into the dumpster, I started to explain all about Varner, the Dixons, and everyone else that had lived here in between.

~oOo~

**BELLA**

"Has anyone seen my new drill?" Emmett called out from the front door.

"You left it in the kitchen with the rest of the tools," Rose answered, tugging at the workbench along the wall. It gave a rotten squelch before finally wrenching free.

"Not there!"

I tossed what seemed like the millionth box into the dumpster, glancing between them. The garage was almost finished. The piles were sorted, the boxes we were donating were in Emmett's truck, and the floor of the building had been swept clean.

"Did you leave it in Bella and Edward's room?" Jasper grunted, heaving a giant pile of old clothes on top of the box I'd just thrown away.

Emmett darted back inside but reappeared just as quickly as he'd vanished. "No!"

How the hell did beings with perfect memories lose shit? I wondered, grabbing the last stack of boxes and throwing them away.

"Maybe it's with my damn iPod," I muttered, merely being sarcastic to no one in particular, but when I looked around, everyone was staring at me. "What? Have you lost stuff before? No. Why? Because we don't forget where we put things. I know that drill was in the kitchen. I know my iPod was on the mantle in the living room. Unless they eloped together, both things have now suddenly up and disappeared."

Edward smirked, brushing off his hands after throwing away an ancient tricycle. He cupped my face, saying, "We'll get you a new one, Bella, if we don't find it. At least all the music isn't gone. It's all saved on your laptop."

I smiled up at him, thinking, _And at least it's not the bedroom one, right?_

Edward's grin was crooked and sexy. "At least. Hmm, perhaps I added to it..."

Giggling, I shook my head. "Tease," I huffed, glancing up at a disgruntled Emmett, who was carrying his old drill. "He didn't find it."

Jasper, who had been pretty quiet, suddenly asked, "Is anyone else missing anything?" When Rose and Alice shook their heads, he said, "Well, start paying attention. I'm curious as to if anything else just vanishes into thin air."

"That's it!" Alice snapped in a growl, throwing the box in her hand so hard that it dented the side of the dumpster. "Why can't I see shit anymore? I can't see this voice, our things, or any of it!"

Jasper was immediately at her side. "Easy, darlin'. No one expects you to see it all."

"I have a theory on that, Alice," Edward said softly, using the tone he normally used to soothe me. When she locked gazes with him, he sighed, grimacing a bit. "You can't see things you don't know or haven't experienced...like the wolves. Maybe... Maybe this is something unique."

Alice's brow wrinkled, but she looked up at Jasper and then to Edward. "But you don't think it's a ghost."

"No, I don't," Edward stated almost gruffly. "I honestly don't. I've never heard one before, so why would I start now?"

My eyebrows shot up, but I had to agree with his point on that one. Besides, if hearing every thought of mortals and immortals weren't enough, I couldn't imagine throwing in the possibility of all those that have passed on.

Edward spun to face me. "No kidding," he said with a harsh laugh.

Rose scowled at the garage and between all of us. "That's it. I'm done," she growled, throwing the remains of the workbench away.

Edward chuckled, tilting his head a bit. "Good. Just in time, then."

Just as he said that, a black Mercedes SUV pulled into the driveway. The car had barely come to a complete stop before a person I hadn't seen in months stepped out from the back seat.

"Who the hell did you guys buy this shit from? Frankenstein?" Kevin asked, placing a hand on his hip.

"Kevin!" Rose, Alice, and I all squealed, rushing to him.

He caught us all in a giant hug, practically lifting us up. "God, I missed my girls!"

Kevin looked exactly the same, of course, but his eyes were happy, content, even confident. He'd been worried when we left him in Italy that he'd never get to the point of being able to join the family. His short, light brown hair had a touch of gold to it, matching his eyes, his boyish face was as beautiful as an angel's, wearing the happiest of smiles as he hugged each one of us, and his mouth was still as unfiltered as ever.

"Goddess, what is that smell?" he asked, holding me at arm's length as his nose wrinkled.

I laughed, smacking at him. "The same smell you're gonna be rolling in now that you're here to get to work, Kev."

"Fan-fucking-tastic," he drawled, rolling his eyes.

"Kevin, language!" Esme growled, and she sounded like she'd said that a million times just in the last few days.

He grinned and shrugged. "I don't know why she tries. Even Dr. Feelgood told her to give it up. I'm _unchanging_, Mom," he told her with his sweet grin. He rubbed his hands together. "Now...where's Heavy E and the boys?"

Edward's amused chuckle was deep and soft, but he stepped forward. "Welcome home, Kev. It's about time."

As lots of fist bumps and hugs were exchanged, I caught sight of the quietest member of our family. He was silently studying his surroundings from the other side of the car. His nervous habit that matched Edward's made me smile as his hand shot to his hair to pull it out of his face.

"Hey, Adrian," I said, smiling when he hugged me. "It's good to have you back."

His sweet, shy smile curled up on his face as his eyes immediately went to his feet. "I missed you guys. Not that Marcus wasn't... I mean, we learned a lot. But still..."

God, he was adorable – dark brown hair falling to his forehead, honey-colored eyes that still held the sadness of his difficult beginnings, and a soft, kind smile.

I giggled softly. "I get it. No need to explain."

He nodded but looked past me as a hand fell on my shoulder. I turned to see Carlisle looking happy yet concerned. I hugged him. Hard. He was a sight for sore eyes, even though I'd seen him just before we left New York.

"How are things, sweetheart?" he asked softly in my ear, but it was the unspoken question that I truly heard. He was asking how Edward was doing.

"Just...strange," I stated, giving the house a scathing glance before looking back to calm and comforting. "I'm glad you're finally here."

"Well, I, for one, want to hear all about it," Esme said, folding her arms across her chest and giving Edward a loving yet pleading gaze. "Don't leave out a thing."

Carlisle let out a long exhale. "Son, why don't you show us what you've done and start at the beginning."

Edward nodded and led us into the house. Esme praised our work while Carlisle listened intently to everything Edward told him – and probably some things he wasn't telling him – starting from the smell that we'd encountered from the very beginning, to the mind he'd heard, to what Jasper had felt, and even what Alice didn't see. The rest of us interjected when needed, but otherwise, Edward took the lead on this one.

"And you said the smell was the strongest in the basement?" Carlisle asked as we finally came back down from showing them the upper bedrooms.

"Yes!" all of us answered him, and we were all wearing grimaces.

"Oh, damn," Kevin exclaimed with a snort. "Well, this I have to see." He walked quickly to the cellar door and cracked it open. "Is this why you guys haven't come down here?" he asked, but his eyebrows shot up high as he faced us. "Well, hellfire, no wonder..."

Adrian poked his head just inside the doorway, inhaling deeply. His brow furrowed, but he said nothing. Edward, however, picked up on his thoughts immediately.

"Yes, it's close, but not quite the same as the underground of Italy. I noticed that, too, but there's no scent of immortals," he answered. "I think it's the damp brick that you're associating with it."

"Perhaps," Carlisle mused. "It is similar..."

He wandered down the stairs, and we followed silently behind him. I hadn't been down here very often. Edward, my siblings, and I kept pushing it to the back burner when it came to working down here. It wasn't the tight space, or the cool, wet air, or even the crypt-like feel of it... Okay, so it was a little bit of all of those things, but something about that part of the house seemed to feel concentrated, thick. Like the center of all the questions lay within that dank cellar. And maybe there was a part of us that wasn't quite ready to find it.

Carlisle turned to face us all, his face serious yet still calm. "I haven't spoken to you since you started researching. Come...tell me what you found out."

We gathered around the living room where Edward and I explained the house's history. All of it. From Varners on down to the Dixons, we told of every owner, every missing person, and even the things we'd found stored out in the garage. Edward repeated the things he'd heard, and Jasper tried to explain how much fear was there, but in order for them to really grasp it, he sent that frightening feeling out into the living room. There was a collective gasp as a result.

"Dammit, cut that shit out!" Emmett growled, his large frame shuddering as he tried to shake the fear. "It was bad enough the first few times."

Edward sighed, and I linked our fingers together, but his eyes were locked onto Carlisle as he sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"I've known people that swear they've seen loved ones after death, but I've personally never witnessed it, and I've seen a lot of death in my life," he started, glancing up when Edward's growl rumbled softly. "Easy, son. I don't think what you're hearing is...made up. If that were the case, then Jasper wouldn't feel it, and I'm not really sure Bella's voice would've made the difference it did. But the fact that Alice can't see anything concerns me." He sighed, giving the whole family a long, slow gaze. "It seems to me that the more you did in here, the more you've heard this mind, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, sir," Edward answered softly. His thumb rubbing circles over my knuckles betrayed his calm, outward demeanor.

"I posed this question to Marcus before we left Italy, and he said that even though he had never witnessed ghosts, spirits – even angels, as some have claimed – he couldn't rule it out. He'd heard plenty of accounts of strange things in his long years. He's not willing to write it off simply because he hasn't seen something with his own eyes. By all accounts, we shouldn't exist, so why can't there be ghosts?" he asked.

I giggled, giving Edward a "that's what I said" glare. He merely rolled his eyes, but he smiled softly when he pressed his lips to the back of my hand.

"However," Carlisle continued, holding up a hand when Edward started to argue, "knowing you the way that I do, Edward, I can't fathom that your talent would've changed after a hundred and fifteen years. I just don't see that happening. What I'd like us to do is to continue what you've started here – finish the work, continue researching, and see if these incidents continue now that there are four more of us in the house." He turned to me, letting out a long exhale. "Bella, did you find anything in all these books?"

"I did," I said with a nod. "I brought a box in that has a few interesting hand-written notes in them. I didn't really get a chance to really look through them, but I set them aside. I was going to go through them soon."

"Good girl," he praised, turning to Jasper. "And just when do you expect the blueprints to get here?"

"Any day now, actually. I paid extra for a rush job," he stated.

"Excellent," Carlisle said, nodding slowly. "One more thing... Someone get with Jenks. Let's see if we can't locate this Tim and Caroline Dixon. We'll use the reason that we found some of their things left in the house. Okay? But I'd like to ask them about their experience here. They're the only witnesses left."

"I'll do it," Alice volunteered. "We need to get Adrian and Kevin some identification, as well."

We'd all gone with our real names this time around, except for Emmett and Edward. They were the adopted sons of Carlisle and Esme, using the name Cullen. We had the appropriate driver's licenses with Swan, Brandon, and Hale. It was time that Adrian and Kevin chose. But I could almost sense what Kevin was about to say.

"Cullen," he stated, his chin jutting out defiantly. "That's the only name I see fit using. Not the one that was attached to my father."

At the mention of Mr. Stark, I, along with every other woman in the room and Adrian, let out a soft growl. Kevin's dad had died not long before Kevin's change, and he hadn't been a kind man. He'd never accepted his son's homosexuality, his choice in schools, or even his personality. Kevin had more than once told us that we were his real family, even when he was human and had no idea what we truly were. I could well imagine that taking the name Cullen was extremely important to him.

Esme smiled, reaching across Carlisle to squeeze his hand. "And we'd be glad to have you use it, sweetie."

Emmett gave him a fist bump. "Oh, hell yes!" he praised. "I got a new baby bro!"

Kevin grinned. "Shut up, Mountain of Sexy!"

Edward chuckled at them, but it stopped quickly as he focused on Adrian, who had been silent as a church mouse. "I'm sure that's no problem, Adrian," he told him.

"Yes! That's perfect!" Alice suddenly squealed, clapping and turning my way. "And with the hair color..."

Edward laughed, turning to me. "Adrian thinks Swan would work...that due to your hair color, people will easier believe he's your brother."

Grinning, I said, "Excellent! Now _I_ have a new baby bro!" I teased, laughing when poor Adrian looked like he'd be blushing if he were able.

I leaned into Edward's chuckling kiss to the side of my head. It felt amazing to finally have my entire family under one roof. It felt right and whole and somehow safer.

"For now," my husband, now a little more relaxed, murmured into my ear. "Just wait..." He raised a deadly sexy eyebrow up at me but was wearing a smirk as I laughed, because he was right. Privacy was now a priceless and rare commodity in the house.

Carlisle stood and looked around. "Okay, let's get the last of this place cleaned up," he said, rubbing his hands together, but he glanced up at Emmett when a large arm draped heavily around his shoulders.

"Absolutely," Emmett agreed haughtily with one nod. "It's time to see how long it takes to make Dad want to run screaming back to the hospital..."

We all laughed at Carlisle's smile and eye roll. "Too late, but it won't work, son...no matter what you have up your sleeve."

Edward snorted into a laugh. "He's got plenty up his sleeve. He wants to win this bet."

Kevin, Esme, and I all pointed a finger at Emmett. "No cheating!"

"Snitch," Emmett growled at Edward, who was merely smiling smugly.

"I want to win, too," Edward stated with a laugh, leaping gracefully over the back of the sofa and dodging Emmett's swing.

"That's enough," Carlisle sighed, shaking his head a little. "Let's get to work."

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

"No, my Goddess, just...give me that," Kevin growled, but it sounded exasperated. "I'll look through this. You deal with your own pile."

"Fine, but don't miss anything," she ordered back to him, and I could see through his mind the commanding little finger pointed his way. "This is important."

"I have vampire ADHD, Bells. I'm not dumb!" he snarked back with a laugh. "I can't sit still for shit, but I'm working on it."

"And that makes you different from when you were human..._how_?" she countered with a giggle.

"Shut it and read, woman."

I chuckled and shook my head as I gazed back down at the piano, letting my fingers seek out whatever song came to my mind first. I'd forgotten the levity that Kevin brought with him. Between him and Emmett, the house felt lighter, easier – almost like it changed the actual air inside the house. Stretching my mind out, I could sense everyone in my family. Adrian was painting and decorating his and Kevin's room with Alice and Esme. Emmett, Rose, and Jasper were finishing up the repair on some of the foundation bricks in the cellar. Kevin and Bella were at the dining room table with papers and books strewn from one end of it to the other as they tried to find out more of the history on this house. And Carlisle was walking my way.

_I'm worried about you, son,_ he thought to me, though his attention went to the bookshelves on the wall.

"Don't be. I'm okay," I stated blandly, continuing to play.

I could feel his eyes on me, see myself through his mind, but I didn't meet his gaze. His thoughts swirled around a conversation with Bella and Jasper, both of whom had gone to him with concerns. I sighed, the exhale coming out roughly through my nose. Still, I played on, though I stopped when he discovered one of his ripped books.

"I'm sorry about that. I'll have it repaired," I told him softly, my hands flat on my thighs.

_Perhaps I__ need a new one,_ he suggested kindly, smirking when I finally gazed up at him. _I believe Bella told you that it's okay that you're upset. She's right, you know. These are strange occurrences._

"I know," I murmured, shrugging my shoulder. "As much as I hate to think it, the more we find out about this house... Well, the more it seems someone died here." I grimaced at the thought. "But then...I honestly feel that it's a _real_ mind I'm hearing."

Carlisle nodded in agreement, gazing slowly around the room. "Someone may have died here...maybe more than one someone."

His thoughts sorted through memories of my learning to handle my talent – the struggle, the frustration, the pain that so many "voices" brought to my head. He flashed forward a little to Bella's change and the moment that we realized that she was a shield.

My head snapped up from the piano to study him, my eyes narrowing. "Yeah, kind of like that." I barely said the words aloud. "Only...sketchier. Um...more distanced, but not far away." I groaned frustratedly, clawing at my hair. "I know it sounds crazy, Carlisle..."

"Look at me, Edward," he said softly, now close enough to place a hand on my shoulder. When I glanced up at him again, he said, "I really think this is just something we're missing. A scent we're not catching or a puzzle piece that won't fit. If you're hearing it, then it's not a phantom. I feel sure of that." He raised his eyebrows until I acknowledged what he'd said. "If it is a ghost of some sort, then maybe they're reaching out."

"I don't... I really don't think they know I can hear them," I told him with a shrug of my shoulder. "But then again...they did respond to Bella."

He nodded and went back to rearranging a few of his own personal books, and I went back to playing. I felt a shift in my mind that wasn't family, but heard no voices. It seemed to leave as quickly as it came, and this time, there wasn't as much fear. In fact, as I played, it shifted again, but still no real thoughts came through. I merely saw more blackness.

"Huh," I barely breathed, meeting Carlisle's eyes. "Music... They like it?" Even as I said it, I wasn't too sure.

Carlisle's mind was interesting because he couldn't decide whether or not what I was hearing was coming from inside the house or not. Personally, I was just as confused as he was. But I flinched as the fear returned when a shrill sound met the air. It was the sound of a police siren.

"Charlie," Carlisle and I said with a laugh at the same time.

"Hi, Dad!" Bella sang into her phone.

"Hey, sweetie," he replied, and I knew the man well enough to know when he was smiling into his words.

I tried not to eavesdrop on my girl and her father, but it was impossible not to revel in their relationship. He knew what we were, knew what we'd changed Bella into in order to save her life, but he didn't care. He was just happy that she'd _lived_. And it didn't matter to him what form of living it was. On more than one occasion, he'd told me that she was happier now that she'd ever been as a child, so whatever put a smile on her face, he was perfectly okay with. Every member of the family loved and admired him and the fact that Bella got to keep an extremely large part of her human life – something that the rest of us had been unable to do.

"Did you guys get moved?" he asked her.

"Oh, we're moved all right," she muttered wryly, and I grinned down at my hands, picking up the song where I'd left off.

"That bad? Is Esme torturing you with colors and fabrics?" he asked in a chuckle.

"I heard that!" Esme called from upstairs with a soft laugh.

"She heard you." Bella's laugh was sweet and happy. "Everybody say hi to Dad."

"Hi, Charlie!" the whole house boomed.

"Anyway, no, we're almost through renovating here..." Bella fell into a comfortable conversation with her father.

She told him about the move and Kevin and Adrian, and he caught her up on life back home. It seemed that Jake and the pack had slowed down into family life just fine. Jake's imprint and and wife Anna had been trying for another child, but no such luck yet. The thought of mine and Bella's godchildren – Izzy and Eddie – made me smile. They got bigger every time Jake emailed us new pictures. When Bella asked about Sue, Charlie told her that she was currently seeing a doctor in Forks for her blood pressure, but they seemed to have it under control, which only made Bella inquire about his own health.

"I'm perfectly fine, Isabella. Who's the parent?" he teased her.

"They say roles reverse with age, _Charlie_," she shot right back at him. "Well?"

"No, sweetheart. I'm great. Got a thumbs-up at my last checkup."

"Good." Bella sighed in relief but mentally noted it had been seven years since she'd left Forks the first time, and she wondered just how long she got to keep him. So it didn't surprise me when she asked him the next question. "Hey, do you believe in ghosts, Dad?"

"Umm, no?" he said, clearly taken aback. "Why?"

She explained the strange things in the house, but she was smart – extremely smart – in approaching it like it was an investigation with him because that's how Charlie analyzed things – like a cop. After hearing it all, he was quiet for a moment.

"Dixon, you say?" he asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, since you think he came this way...I could check for you," he offered. "Maybe Anna would help. She's so good at this stuff. She's been filling in down at the station for me part-time, just answering the phones and filing."

Carlisle and I met gazes, both of us wearing surprised expressions. If anyone would have the best access, it would be a chief of police. And Charlie was well-versed in keeping secrets, so he'd be trustworthy to send digging into Tim Dixon's life.

Bella laughed softly. "Small town life getting boring for you?"

"Maybe," Charlie scoffed teasingly. "Just trying to help, Bells. That's all. You sound worried about this thing...and Edward. Tell me what you know. I'll see what I can find."

_Good man, that Charlie, _Carlisle thought to himself as Bella rattled off details of the Dixons. _Bella truly learned her sense of fa__irness from him._

"Mmhm," I hummed in reply, unable to not smile at that because that was the truth. "And her calmness."

"True," Carlisle agreed with a laugh.

I went back to playing as the house went quiet again once Bella was off the phone. Alice silently noted that she didn't have to ask Jenks to find the Dixons, as she had yet to call him. She also saw a visit from Charlie in the future, which was interesting, but she didn't say anything aloud because it kept changing.

"Ooh, check this out," Bella suddenly said from the other room, though most of the household was listening. "Holy crap! I think I found something," she gushed, and through her mind, I could see an old book filled with scribbles and drawings of math and what looked like radio parts.

"William Varner's notebook," I said at the same time she did.

The doorbell rang, and Carlisle and I left the library. He answered the door to the UPS man as I went to look over Bella's head at what she'd found.

"Jasper, your blueprints arrived," our father stated, bringing them to the table.

"Here, there's plenty of room," Kevin said, quickly moving stuff out of the way so that Carlisle and Jasper could spread the plans out.

Pressing a kiss to the top of Bella's head, I braced my hands on her chair as she flipped through William's ideas and sketches. He'd truly been working on a radio, using the telegraph as his basis for theories. There weren't many personal notes in there until just after the date of Elaine Varner's death.

_I fear I blame my son for the loss of her. I can't seem to shake that feeling of betrayal._

He went back to work on the radio without another personal note for a few months. His successes and failures were mapped out, and they started to include Archie, as well.

_Archie refuses to leave the house. He blames himself as much as I do, I believe, though the boy hardly speaks. I've had to resort to making purchases myself in town... He no longer will hunt for our food._

I glanced up when Jasper exhaled frustratedly. His brow was furrowed as he studied the plans in front of him. Nothing was any different than what we knew. He'd thought for sure that perhaps something had changed throughout the course of the life of this house. But unfortunately, they weren't the original plans. Someone had filed these measurements in 1976.

"Oh, damn," Bella groaned, flipping through pages, only to come back to the same one. "I think William Varner may have gone crazy in the end."

"Why?" I asked, pulling up a chair and sitting next to her.

"Because he goes from the occasional rant about his 'useless son,' to full-blown rants on how to 'get Archie out of the house.'" Her eyes raked over the pages, but I knew my girl was lost to the book.

"What were you hoping to find in those, Save-a-Horse?" Kevin teased Jasper, nudging him with an elbow. "A super secret Bat Cave?"

"Kind of," Jasper murmured, almost to himself as he traced a finger along the outer edges of the house. "This Varner guy left D.C., bringing a few political agendas to this area, but he sounded just pompous enough to maybe be a little paranoid. He was working on a radio for the government. The U.S. didn't enter into World War I until 1917, and he was pushing to perfect his radio..."

"So...what? You think Varner brought his wife and kid out here to the middle of Bum-Fuck-Egypt to play early Twentieth Century's version of Ted Kaczynski?" Kevin asked, chuckling a little.

"Kevin!" Esme chided from somewhere in the house.

"My bad!" he called over his shoulder. "She's gonna kill me..."

"You'd think with Emmett, she'd be used to it," I whispered with a grin when my largest brother entered the room with a booming laugh. "Maybe she's trying to nip it in the bud before you sink to that level, hmm?"

Bella snorted, kicking my shoe. _Really, Dirty Edward__? Hello, pot...meet kettle. You're just lucky you haven't been busted, sir._

Grinning, I kissed her cheek. "Yes, ma'am."

"To answer your question, Kev...yes," Jasper said with a smile. "At least, something like that. It was Carlisle's idea...to learn everything we could about this place."

"Listen to this," Bella said softly, but she commanded the attention of everyone in the room. "With threats being my only weapon, I finally got Archie to go hunting. He was, indeed, successful, but swore to me that someone was watching him, following him. I fear the boy has lost his reason. If he continues these ridiculous claims, I'm afraid I'll be forced to make a rash decision."

"Well, hell, William should've met my dad," Kevin muttered, rolling his eyes. "I bet he farts rainbows and sunshine, too."

Bella laughed once but barely looked up from the book. "It's kinda sad because I bet Archie blamed himself for his mother's death and was afraid to go back out into the woods. William had no compassion..." She sighed, her nostrils flaring. "He goes on to say that Archie wanted to ride into town to get help to find whatever was in the woods, but William wouldn't let him. He was embarrassed of his son. He didn't want the influential people of Caribou to know that it was possible his son went insane after the death of Elaine."

"So what did he do?" Emmett asked, suddenly leaning forward with his elbows on the table and sounding suspiciously like a child asking for a story.

Bella simply shook her head, turned a few pages in the book, only to find them empty. She flipped back to the last entry. "He told him if he didn't hunt, then he didn't eat. He took away his freedom..."

"How'd he do that? Lock him in his room?" I asked, leaning over her shoulder to read.

"At first, yes," she answered, pointing to the entry and looking at me with wide, shocked eyes. She read aloud as I silently read with her.

_All hope is lost for my son. No amount of threats work. He won't hunt to help us survive the approaching winter, and he won't seek w__ork in town. He claims there is __evil in__ the woods, and he begs for me to seek help to clear it out. I've seen nothing but large cats – the __lynx,__ I've been told._

_I've been too kind on the boy. It's time to put my foot down. I'm tying him to a tree in the hopes that he'll finally snag a buck to keep us through the first of the winter months. If he fails...there's always my workshop. I can put him there should someone visit, and he won't be seen. With the changes in the government, it's quite convenient that I have a place that's hidden._

I froze for a moment. "Changes in the government...changes in the government..." I chanted to myself, my hand clawing at my hair as I tried to think of what that could've been. By this time, I'd hardly noticed that the entire family had gathered around the dining room table.

"What year was that?" Esme asked.

"Nineteen twenty," Bella answered.

I locked eyes with Carlisle and then Jasper. "Prohibition," we all said at the same time.

"Well, I'll be damned." Jasper snorted, shaking his head. "The bastard _does_ have a room in this house somewhere."

"Oh, it's on!" Emmett boomed, standing up from the table.

Jasper stood up from the table with a nod. "Okay...everyone spread out."

* * *

**A/N… I know that some of you are thrilled that Kevin and Adrian are now members of the family, but damn, if I wasn't happy to have Carlisle home! LOL There's something about the calm that he brings… And another happy note was a call from Charlie. I'm sure you're glad for that, too. Like I said before, I'm not sure the wolves will make an appearance in this fic, but Charlie will.**

**For those theorists… There were TONS of clues in this chapter. ;) In fact, this chapter sent my pre-reader inkedupmom into an absolute frenzy with questions. LOL She finally surrendered and made me give up the plot. ;)**

**No music added to the playlist this time, but there will be soon. Again, huge thanks to JenRar for maintaining my blog. And for the panic emails that she must get daily. **

**Okay, next posting will be on Wednesday, as usual. ****Again, thanks for the anniversary wishes! :D Until next time… Mooches, Deb.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N… Oh, ho! You guys have some of the BEST theories as to what's causing all the trouble. I love it. And some are so very freakin' close! ;) This chapter will open up a whole other can of worms in that department.**

**A few of you have mentioned that the creepy factor on this fic is high. Yes, that's true. But I'm trying to keep to the same formula that I stuck to from the beginning of this series, which is mixing a little fun and lemons (btw, this has a touch of citrus in it) and music in with the drama. And that's so easy with Kevin. LOL**

**I know you guys are dying to get in on the search for this spare room…so let's get to it. Strap in. Hold on.**

* * *

"_Well, I'll be __damned." Jasper__ snorted, shaking his head. "The bastard _does_ have a room in this house somewhere."_

"_Oh, it's on!" Emmett boomed, standing up from the table._

_Jasper stood up from the table with a nod. "Okay...everyone spread out."_

~oOo~

Chapter 5

**BELLA**

After flipping through the pages of William Varner's God-awful notebook one more time, I sighed at the fact that there were no more entries. "He just...tied his son to a tree? Like a mongrel dog?" I asked, completely unable to fight my growl. I looked to Edward, who was studying Alice, the latter of whom had been completely silent throughout the entire journal reading. "Guys?"

The room, which had been a beehive of activity to coordinate the search for this secret workshop of Varner's, came to a halt.

"I...I can't see anything," Alice whispered, dragging her worried gaze from Edward, to Jasper, and finally to Carlisle. "Nothing. No outcome of this search, no future, not a single thing."

"What _do_ you see?" Carlisle asked calmly.

"It changes because we haven't made a decision as to how we're approaching this search," Edward answered for her. "It's utterly everywhere at the moment."

Carlisle nodded, rubbing his chin as he gazed around the room. "Edward, go with Bella, Esme, and Emmett and take a walk around the grounds and house outside. Jasper, you and Alice are with me downstairs. Rose, you take Adrian and Kevin upstairs," he delegated, only to look back between Edward and Alice.

Edward nodded once. "That helped. She still sees us disappearing, but at least we reappear right here in a few hours. We don't find anything, but..." Edward's beautiful face scrunched up in confusion as he tilted his head at Alice. "But it looks like a few of us are more than a little shaken?" He finished it like a question, simply because Alice's visions were always so subjective. "We're all back here, though," he finished, grimacing probably at how vague that sounded.

"Well, that's something, at least," Carlisle sighed, placing a gentle hand on Alice's shoulder. He then turned to the newest members of our family. "You're looking for differences in the floors, walls, closets, maybe even the cellar and garage. It's a density change in your hearing," Carlisle explained to Adrian and Kevin, who were listening raptly. "It would've been overlooked, especially in a house like this. Stone tends to muffle sounds, and the place is drafty, so we wouldn't have given small changes much attention."

Edward stood, offering me his hand like the gentleman he was. I took it and followed Emmett and Esme out through the front door. Not letting go of my hand, he turned to face the other two. "Take the left. We'll take the right. We'll meet you at the outside cellar doors," he told them.

"What are we looking for?" Emmett asked.

"There are thirty-seven windows in the house. Look for extras. There also could be tunnels running under this place, so spread out a little. There's no well here...at least, not one that has an opening at the ground level, but it could be something like that. If he truly was hiding alcohol, his son, even his work, then there's no telling how he set this place up, and he obviously didn't want anyone to know about it, so he didn't included it in the original plans," Edward surmised.

"Be careful," Esme warned, most likely out of motherly habit. She grinned when both boys scoffed.

"Shut it, you two. Just say 'yes, ma'am,'" I told them with a laugh.

"Yes, ma'am," they chanted like chastised children.

She shot me a wink and tugged Emmett away to the left. Edward chuckled softly at the whole exchange but led me out and away from the house, basically working our way around the edge of the yard.

"So much for boring, old immortality," I sighed teasingly, squirming away when Edward tickled my side.

"Trust me, sweet girl, life _was_ boring until you came along," he whispered in my ear after pulling me back to his side.

"I don't know..." I said in a sing-song way that made Edward snicker. "This really cute vampire I know warned me against endless, dark nights, no more sunny days, and bloodlust that never went away. Somehow, I haven't seen a bit of this. I want a refund."

He grinned sweetly and sexily, especially when the whole family laughed, and then kissed my temple roughly. "Love you," he murmured simply against my hair.

"Love you, too, Edward."

We walked at a human pace throughout the yard, and Edward was quiet, though I was pretty sure that he was listening to everything going on not only around us, but with every member of the family. I counted windows along the side, the front, and the top floors, not seeing anything different than what was on the inside. It helped that Esme's curtains now hung in every window.

"What do you think happened to William and Archie?" I asked softly, unable to keep my thoughts to myself.

"We may never know," he said sadly with a shrug of a shoulder. "Though it wouldn't surprise me if they hadn't destroyed each other in their grief. At least, that's what it sounded like."

"And the evil in the woods?"

Edward shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "Speech patterns back then... It could mean anything, from a bear, to a squatter in the woods. Or..." His nose wrinkled a little when he glanced down at me.

"Or Archie had truly lost it."

"Yeah, it is a possibility. His refusal to leave the house may have meant that he'd become agoraphobic," he guessed.

"The fear of going outside..." I mused softly, frowning at the mere idea. But there was something else niggling at the back of my mind that said speech patterns had nothing to do with what Archie was claiming. I just couldn't quite put my finger on it.

"Edward! Bells!"

Edward and I stopped in the side yard, just outside the garage, when Emmett called our names. We ran to the back of the house to see him and Esme standing by the cellar doors, but they weren't looking at the doors themselves. It was the ground around the entrance that had their attention.

"Have you seen this? Really _looked_ at it?" Emmett asked Edward.

The ground around the cellar entry was worn away. Unlike the rest of the grass around the house, this was rubbed down to the dirt, but only about five feet out from the door. There were gouges in that same dirt, too, like something was recently dragged – and it looked suspiciously like raccoon claw marks.

"There's this, too," Esme added, taking a finger and just barely touching the padlock on the doors.

The bracket that the lock was in swiveled like it had been stripped out of the wood. And it seemed like it had been that way for a very long time. The wood was aged, the paint peeling, and the lock and its bracket were both rusty and weather-worn.

Edward knelt down to truly study the lock, but he turned to look at Emmett. "Is it just me, or does this look—"

"Ripped open?" Emmett finished for him, nodding with Edward. "Yeah, dude. Totally."

I turned in one spot, gazing out over the back yard, but with a slight step to my left, I could see the driveway. If the whole town thought this house was haunted, I'd have been willing to bet that the high school kids in town had been up here more than one time.

Edward stood up next to me, listening to my thoughts. "Pranks?"

"Sure, why not? This place is perfect for that," I huffed humorlessly. "Dares to break in, touch the front door, take something from inside...there are endless ideas. But this would've been the easiest access."

My husband nodded but turned to yank open the slanted doors, dropping them on either side of the entryway. Steps descended down into the dark cellar, thankful that we had zero trouble seeing everything, and that same wet, thick odor rose up to practically slap us in the face.

Carlisle appeared at the bottom of the steps, waving Edward down. I took another count of windows – only this time, they didn't add up.

"Hey, umm, guys?" I called, pointing to a small window by the corner of the house. It was low to the ground, almost hidden by the small hedges that grew up near the wall. "This window isn't in that basement," I stated, looking up at Carlisle and Edward when they came back up outside. "In fact, I don't remember seeing a window down there at all."

"That's because there's not one," Emmett muttered, glancing between the newly-discovered and very dark window and the cellar door. "To the right, just inside," he said softly.

All of us went down the steps and proceeded to examine the wall on the right. It was damp and made of brick, pretty much like the rest of the basement. Edward's long fingers flattened over the surface of the stones, skimming slowly up to the top where the wall met the ceiling. He glided to the left and then to the right, pausing to trace a single finger down to the floor.

"Here," he said softly. "It seems this isn't a crack in the mortar."

"Damn, that's some hidden shit right there," Emmett agreed, but he was a couple of feet down from his brother, following what looked to be a continuation of that same crack. He spun to gape at Carlisle. "It's a door."

Edward and Emmett both stood, pressing their hands flat against the wall.

"Ready?" Edward asked.

When Emmett nodded, they both pushed. With a thick, gritty thunk, the wall sank back a foot.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" we heard Jasper from upstairs. "What the hell did you guys just do?"

"Why?" Carlisle answered, rushing to the bottom of the stairs that led to the kitchen.

"Because one whole bookcase in the library just...shook," Kevin called back.

"It seems we've discovered a vacuum," Carlisle mused, studying the new niche in the cellar wall. "Boys, it looks like it'll spin...inward. This side," he told them, and all three pushed again.

The scent that escaped out of what was a very dark space was ten times what the cellar smelled like. It was stronger, heavier, and made Esme and me take a step back. I couldn't help but growl, my instincts kicking into overdrive in a brief moment of self-preservation. It didn't smell like anything I'd ever encountered before. If I had to give it a name, I'd have said it smelled like the pure, undiluted sense of...fear, but then again, it also smelled like raging hate. However, there was nothing to it at the same time. No scent of humans, blood, or sweat. It wasn't immortal, with venom and the sweet essence we gave off. And it felt and smelled incredibly old.

"Easy, sweetheart," Esme soothed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, which caused Edward to abandon his curiosity and spin toward me.

"Bella?" he asked, cupping either side of my face and forcing my gaze away from the opening in the wall to his stunning yet concerned face.

"I'm okay," I murmured, nodding a little. "That smell...it just... Well, I wasn't prepared for it."

"No shit..." Emmett huffed a laugh, but he stuck his head inside the darkness.

Edward studied my face with a sweet wrinkle to his brow, but mostly, he listened to my mind. When he found whatever he was looking for, he kissed my forehead. He linked our fingers together, pulling me gently with him. We were just about to step through the opening, when light flickered from inside at the same time Jasper and Kevin called from upstairs.

"Holy hell, this is some shit straight outta Scooby Doo!" Kevin yelled with a laugh. "I think we found a door!"

"So did we!" all of us yelled back.

"One of the bookcases in the library is on some sort of hinge," Edward stated softly to Carlisle, his head tilting, but he jerked his chin toward the ceiling. "It shifted when we opened this."

"Okay, then," Rose called downstairs to us with a soft chuckle. "Guess we'll meet in the middle?"

"I suppose we'll see," Carlisle answered, and then moved so he was the first through the opening.

I'd read more books than I cared to admit, and that was when I was human. As an immortal, books could be read in one sitting, usually through the long nights or sunny days. One of my favorites was _The Count of Monte Cristo._ I could imagine the horrendous twenty years that Edmund Dantes had spent on that island prison, locked away for a crime he didn't commit. It was the description of that imprisonment that the space reminded me of – a cell. It was closed off, except for the light that leaked through from somewhere up ahead. The window that I'd seen outside was covered in what looked like a century of grime and filth. The walls seemed to bleed with mold and lichen and water.

The small hallway we were in opened up to what looked like a small storage room. At one point, I could see that it probably housed a few supplies at some point and, most likely, William Varner's illegal booze. The ground was covered in broken glass, smashed wood that looked like they'd been shelves or maybe a workbench at some point, and just debris that was so old, it was unrecognizable. The garbage was strewn everywhere, making it impossible to track any footprints. Some of it did, indeed, look like old radio parts. In one corner, there was a rocking chair, and old blankets lay heaped in a pile in another – the latter of which reminded me of a dog's bed. At the far end of the room was a door, and that opened to let in the rest of my family.

Off to the left was another hallway, but this one jutted out only to turn a sharp corner so that the end wasn't visible. I was pretty sure we'd be navigating that damn thing, too.

"Damn," Adrian sighed, gazing around with wide eyes. "This Varner guy had real issues."

He rarely spoke, but when he did, it usually was quite poignant. Kevin rolled his eyes but snorted softly as he placed a hand on his mate's shoulder. But it was Esme that gave voice to the first thing that popped into my mind.

"Who could lock their child down here?" she asked, an expression of pure disgust written all over her beautiful face. "That's just..." She stopped because she probably couldn't find a word wretched enough to describe how awful that was.

All of us – every last one of us – nodded silently in agreement, wearing looks of sadness because it might have been the biggest question asked. And one we'd never, ever get the answer to.

"So let's get this straight," Jasper drawled, gazing around. "Varner builds this shit, doesn't tell anyone about it, and then once his wife passes, he locks his son down here?" he asked, spinning to Adrian. "Issues isn't the word, bro."

"It still doesn't explain—" Kevin struggled for the right words, gesturing to Edward "—what Heavy E here is experiencing. I mean, there's nothing and no one down here. And from the looks of it, no one has been down here in ages."

Edward smirked but didn't say anything. He also hadn't let go of my hand, for which I was extremely grateful – a thought that earned me a squeeze.

He glanced down the hallway that we'd yet to point out and then nodded to Jasper's silent question. Aloud, he said, "Yes, let's check it out now. We'll see where it leads, but I have a feeling I know already."

Turning to me, he raised an eyebrow, asking me silently if I wanted to go with them. When I nodded, he smiled and gave my hand another soft, reassuring squeeze.

We took the passageway slowly, but there was nothing noteworthy about it because it looked like every other part of the cellar – dank and disgusting. When we came to the bend, Edward shot a look back toward everyone behind us but then led us on. The very second we were out of their sight, several things happened all at once.

The first – and scariest – was that Edward and Jasper suddenly sank to their knees. Fear. Pure terror hit me so hard that I let go of Edward's hand and slammed into the wall of the passageway. I watched helplessly as my brother and my husband both clutched at their heads.

The second thing – and something I wasn't expecting – was that my shield shifted. Hard. It swirled out of my control, searching, seeking for someone or something. It didn't feel like a bad thing... It almost felt like a protective gesture – something I'd experienced before. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what could possibly be pulling at me. I didn't allow it much thought. With as much effort as I could muster, I slammed my shield around the two men, falling to my knees between them.

"Carlisle!" I called over my shoulder at the same time I cupped Edward's and Jasper's faces. They both blinked unseeingly up at me for a moment, but sighed in relief. "What the hell was that?"

"Fear," was all Jasper would say, but he looked to Edward. "What about you?"

Edward's nostrils flared. I knew this shit was really starting to piss him off, but his jaw flexed before he answered. "It was like...someone was down here. All I heard was 'no, no, no...not here. Not down here.'"

When he looked up, his eyes locked onto Carlisle, who had joined us along with Emmett. And my big, usually teddy bear of a brother looked like he was ready to fight demons. I quickly explained what happened, including the shift in my shield, which brought them all up short.

"Hold on, sweetheart," Carlisle said softly, placing his hands on my shoulders and bending down a little to look me in the eyes. "Your shield shifted? Like someone was here?" When I nodded, his expression darkened. "Can you do me one favor, Bella?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Shield us all until we reach the end of this tunnel...and until we get back up top," he commanded.

Adjusting my shield, I carefully manipulated it around every member of my family, including the ones back in Varner's workshop. I extended it as far as it could go the other way, which turned out to be a small staircase at the end of the passageway. Emmett took the lead this time, giving a quick glance over his shoulder before pushing on the ceiling.

"Garage?" Edward asked wearily, finally standing up.

"Yup, sure as shit," Emmett confirmed. "Opens up in that corner where I found good ol' Mr. Raccoon."

"What the hell?!" Alice growled from the workshop end of the tunnel. "Now I can see everything."

"Bella's shield," Edward sighed in answer, but his head spun to Jasper. "You need to hunt."

"I just hunted," he growled back, but his eyes were black as pitch. So were Edward's. In fact, my own throat burned with thirst. But it didn't feel like my own; it felt like Jasper's need was pushing out around us all.

Carlisle gave a slow glance around at all of us. "Seal this up. Every door, every entryway. I want everyone to hunt. Now. We'll meet back here in the morning. Kevin, Adrian, you'll come with me and Esme." Very rarely did Carlisle exact his leadership to that heavy of a commanding tone, but at the moment, he was no-nonsense, angry, and just plain old worried. "Now!" he snapped again, spinning on his heel and heading out of the tunnel.

~oOo~

I pulled myself up onto a flat rock, wrapping my arms around my knees and resting my chin on top, and gazed out at the beautiful scene in front of me. A small pond rippled in the moonlight, the tall waterfall splashing in the most soothing of ways over from the corner. The rocks were blackish-green with time, moisture, and the surrounding vegetation, the water dark and cool, misting up around me. Behind me was a field of bluish-purple flowers and tall shady trees that I couldn't wait to see in the daytime. I grimaced because, despite the clean Maine air, I still smelled the stench of that underground room. I felt like it was in my hair, sealed in my clothes, and stuck to my skin.

I'd fed well, almost overly so, because the moment we'd stepped out of the house and dashed into the woods, my thirst had dialed down a little. Edward, however, had truly needed to hunt. His collapse had shaken both him and Jasper to their core. And to be perfectly honest, it had scared the living shit out of me because they were two of the strongest men I knew. So to see them fall to their knees... Well, it had wrecked me.

"Shh," Edward crooned, sitting down behind me and wrapping his arms all the way around me. "I'm okay, love. I promise you, my sweet, beautiful girl."

I nodded silently, turning a little on the rock so that Edward could cradle me. Tucking my forehead up underneath his chin, I nuzzled into my favorite and most comforting spot in the entire world.

Edward's deep, sweet chuckle shook us. "The _entire_ world, Bella?" he teased, running a flat, gentle hand over my head and down my back over and over.

"Yup!" I said with a grin, despite what I was feeling, and hugged him closer, tighter. "I like this place."

"Mmm, me, too," he agreed softly, pressing his lips to my forehead. "Should we keep it?"

I smiled, pulling back to look up at him. His eyes were light gold, showing that he was well-fed, and filled with love and contentment at holding me. Nodding, I said, "Yeah," with a bite to my bottom lip.

"And so it is," he said with a wink and a grand gesture with his hand, causing me to giggle.

"Umm, The Waterfall?" I suggested as a name for it, gazing around and shrugging a shoulder.

"That works for me." Edward nodded, brushing a sweet, light kiss to the tip of my nose.

Sighing a little in relief of just being in his arms, I glanced slowly around. Yeah, it would do. When I first met Edward, our first "date" was a trip to a place he'd once found while hunting. Our meadow was perfect in every way – hidden, quiet, beautiful. It was a place of honesty, love, and confessions. After Edward returned to me, it became a place of healing, physical explorations, and silent apologies. By the time we needed to leave Forks, we'd grown so attached to that special place, we'd vowed that no matter where we moved, we'd find a place just like it. A place just for us so we could continue that honesty between us and have an escape from the family.

So with honesty in mind, I shifted again on Edward's lap so I was straddling his thighs. Grasping either side of his face, I whispered, "You scared me."

"I know, baby. I'm so, so sorry," he whispered back. Tucking my hair behind my ear, he sighed. "Thank you, though, for shielding us."

I nodded, looking down between us. I'd just noticed that we were both playing with each other's wedding rings, spinning them slowly in order to gain comfort. Smiling a little, I met his gaze. He brought my ring to his lips and dropped a heavy yet reverent kiss to it, only to tug at me until my forehead was pressed to his own.

"Tell me about your shield in that tunnel, Bella," he suddenly said, changing gears on me.

My brow furrowed. "Um, it happened about the same time you and Jasper...collapsed. It shifted, pulled at me," I attempted to explain.

"Let me see, sweet girl."

It was a request he'd asked before of me. He wanted my memory, my replay of it all. Because he'd been distracted, he hadn't seen what was in my mind at the time, so I showed him. He flinched at his own fall, but he studied my face as he saw my shield through my mind.

"Not bad? But not good, either?" he asked.

"It was strange. At first, it felt like a pull to someone good, but then not so much. It felt more like defense once you two fell. Or maybe that last part was just...me." I wrinkled my nose at the thought, but it was quite possible.

Edward nodded in acceptance more than agreement. I could see by the furrow of his brow that he was concerned. Honestly, I was, too, because if my shield was now reacting to something in that house, then we were almost back to square one with theories. Like Edward, I was pretty damn sure that my talent only worked with the physical...not the spiritual.

"Maybe," he mused softly. "You know, I haven't asked...but do you believe in ghosts?"

I huffed a short laugh but shrugged. "My mother did. But she believed in a lot of things that others deemed fantasy. Given enough time, she'd have figured out what you were...and probably reveled in the whole myth versus reality thing."

Edward grinned and nodded for me to go on.

"My honest answer is that I'm smart enough to say...I don't know. I didn't always latch on to whatever Renee was into at the time, but it did give me an open mind."

"You do have that, love," he snorted, rolling his eyes. "When I first met you, I wasn't sure if that was a curse or a blessing."

"Blessing, Mr. Cullen," I told him haughtily.

"Indeed, Mrs. Cullen." His smile was sweet, sexy, and probably a little smug, but he wore it well. His warm, honey eyes swept over our surroundings like an eagle's, finally locking with mine. "Swim with me," he requested, fingering the edge of my shirt.

"Okay," I agreed, because at least we could get the stench of that tunnel off our skin and hair, even though it would linger in our clothes.

I stood up on the rock, gripping the bottom of my shirt and stripping it off over my head. I kicked out of my sneakers and jeans, and Edward watched it all with dark, lust-filled eyes.

"Mmm," he said with a slow shake of his head and a lick to his lips. "That's new." He gestured to my underwear set.

A giggle escaped me because my Edward had a lingerie fetish. He loved to look, feel, rip... My very full dresser and extremely high Victoria's Secret credit card bill only proved it. I was wearing a navy blue with pale pink lace trim bra and thong. With an evil grin, Edward twirled a finger in a command for me to spin around in front of him. It only made me laugh harder.

"You are shameless, Edward," I told him, shaking my head when I finally met his gaze again, which had turned black and wanton.

"And you...are beautiful, Bella," he sighed, his brow furrowing like he just couldn't understand it all.

He reached back, grasped the back of his shirt, and tugged it off. When he stood before me, my eyes raked over every inch of him. His slightly dirty jeans sat dangerously low on his hips, his pecs twitched under my gaze, and his hands fisted at his sides. He stood as still as a statue as I stepped forward, unable to keep my hands to myself. I had to touch.

My thumbs found that perfect V on his stomach and skimmed softly over the skin. His abs flexed a little, but otherwise, he let me do what I wanted. When I placed a long, slow, open-mouthed kiss to the place where his heart lay quiet, gentle fingers finally toyed with the straps of my bra. He moved them aside, dropping his own soft kisses to my shoulder.

His talented fingers unhooked my bra, and it fell to the top of the rock with the rest of my clothes. Kneeling in front of me, those same fingers lightly grasped the front of my panties and slipped them down over my legs to my feet so that I could step out of them. I knew for a fact that once Edward's jeans met the rest of our clothes, it was all over, because we just couldn't hold back sometimes. And tonight seemed to feel like that – a crackling inferno that smoldered underneath all the worry and the research and the theories.

"And the smell," Edward added to my thoughts with a soft laugh, shaking his head before his forehead landed on my stomach. "Water, baby. Come on."

He was so cute as his nose wrinkled a little. I could see by his expression that he hated like anything to break up the feelings around us, but he was only being honest. We really did smell. With a giggle, I pushed away from him and dove in. Another splash rocked the water around me, and soon, Edward's naked form tackled me, dragging me even farther under the water. It was a good thing we didn't need to breathe, nor did we feel just how cold the water was, because we wrestled and played like we were the only people on Earth. We were the immortal Adam and Eve in our own self-created Eden, naked and free from everything.

There were absolutely no worries, no stresses when we were together like this.

I popped up under the heavy spray of the waterfall, letting it cascade over my head. Edward appeared in front of me, caging me in his strong arms as he braced his hands on either side of me against the rocks. Water rivulets ran down his face like tears, like a heavy rain as he leaned in to kiss me. Wrapping our arms all the way around each other, no words were spoken. Years of touching, of making love – even when I was human – gave us a blind instinct on what we were doing. And we gave in completely.

"I need..." Edward murmured against my lips, "inside, baby."

I nodded, bracing my hands on his shoulders as he lifted me up against him, not allowing a single centimeter of space between us – even the water was not welcome. My legs secured themselves around his waist, Edward's hands guided himself to my entrance, and our lips never separated as we became one.

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

As the sun rose to a sunny day, I watched the rainbows that cast off my wife's skin as she lay beneath me. We were surrounded by flowers that in just a few weeks would probably be gone until spring. We'd yet to redress, and I knew we were due back at home soon, but for the life of me, I couldn't separate from her just yet.

Fingers were threaded in my hair and digging into my lower back to keep me close, deep, legs were tangled with my own, and soft sighs against my cheek only encouraged me to keep kissing, keep tasting, and keep up the murmurs of her beauty, my love, and how time was moving too quickly.

I tried to remember a time without Bella, despite the fact that it wasn't so long ago. I tried to recall that feeling of being the fifth wheel – or the seventh as the case was – and I just couldn't pull up the feelings of loneliness and emptiness that I knew I'd felt. It was as if she'd wiped all that away. I struggled to pull up the memory of wanting so badly to know the feelings that my family had as mated couples, but what I had with Bella was more, better...ten-fold what they possessed. Maybe I was biased, like Bella accused me of being so often, or maybe I was just extremely grateful. Either way, as we shared slow, lazy, deep kisses in the rising sunlight, I just really couldn't worry about where we needed to be.

"Edward..."

"Hmm?" I hummed against her throat, dragging my lips down to my permanent mark just above her breast and hearing in her mind that we needed to get going. Knowing I was playing with fire, I locked gazes with warm brown as my tongue traced the edges of her immortal scar. Her body arched, and air hissed through her teeth because that skin was extra sensitive. "What was that, love?" I asked in a falsely-serious tone, only to do it again.

Her hips rolled, taking me in deeper as her breathing paused, my name again sounding like music to my ears.

"Edward..." This time, it came out a little breathy, a lot forceful, and almost pleading. "Fuck," she panted, her head falling back to the soft grasses beneath us and her eyes rolling to the back of her head as my teeth met the tight peaks of her nipples.

Legs wrapped higher around my waist as I started to move again inside of her. I'd kept her like this for the last few hours – in the water, on the flat rock I'd originally found her on after I'd hunted, and right here in the middle of a field of purple flowers that were clinging to life as the seasons quickly shifted.

Her legs stiffened around me when her orgasm drew closer. I could read her body better than I could read her mind. I'd been doing it way before her change, so every twitch, every gasp, and every flutter of her insides called to me, told me exactly what she was feeling and just how close she was.

"No, sweet girl," I told her, reaching down to hook her leg into the crook of my elbow. "Open up for me, Isabella."

She cried out a nonsensical word, meeting my rhythm flawlessly, finally grounding out, "Yes, there!"

"Here?" I asked, hitting the same spot again and again, moaning shamelessly when her other heel dug into my ass forcefully. She was so, so close, but she was holding back, trying to extend our time together. Nipping at the skin just below her ear, I whispered, "You're so beautiful, Bella, and you feel so fucking good. Come now, baby...for me?"

Just being inside of her had been torture, so I was fighting my climax until she came. And she was stunning when she finally succumbed to it – body shuddering underneath mine, purr rumbling around me, teeth nipping at skin. As soon as her spasms clenched around me, I was done. We came quieter than I was expecting, with open mouths and lips barely touching.

Nuzzling her nose with my own, up one side and down the other, I said, "I know... We have to go." It came out sounding much more pouty than I'd intended, which caused my girl to smile sweetly up at me. "It's world ending..."

"Right," she said with an adorable giggle, brushing my hair from my forehead and kissing my chin.

She rolled us, bracing her hands on my shoulders, her hair falling around my face like a curtain. She smelled like flowers, the water we'd been swimming in, and me. Unfortunately, we'd have to don the clothes that reeked of that cellar in order to go home.

"Mrs. Cullen," I warned her with a raised eyebrow and a growl to my voice as I fisted the sides of her hair.

"Mr. Cullen," she teased back, kissing me quickly and sitting up.

Sunlight glimmered off her immortal skin, and I couldn't help but sit up beneath her and drop a kiss to her shoulder.

"Come on, Edward," she sighed, meeting my gaze with her own happy, light brown eyes.

We got up and redressed, wearing scowls of disgust at the scent on our clothes. Racing back, we discovered that we weren't the only ones running behind, so we rushed upstairs, showered quickly, and changed into something else before settling into the living room. We were waiting for Em and Rose, though I could hear them upstairs.

Someone had started a fire in the fireplace, and the warmth felt good as we waited for Carlisle to speak. His thoughts swirled around myself, Bella, and Jasper. He was feeling out of his element with this house, debating whether or not to just move on. It could be done, but then again, he also felt like that was giving up. He was worried about us, concerned that this may be testing our abilities to their limits. And he didn't like it. By the time that everyone was seated around him, he'd started blocking his thoughts from me.

"I called Marcus again," he stated, taking me by surprise. "I explained to him everything we've seen, felt, heard...experienced." He took a deep breath and let it out. "I didn't ask him for help, just guidance, but he offered up both willingly." Carlisle's eyes landed on me. "Edward, his experience with Aro's talent was limited, due to the need to touch, so he wasn't quite sure what to make of what you're hearing. He's only ever known one empath," he continued, giving Jasper a nod of his head, "so he was a little lost there, as well." A shift of frustration worked its way around the room, but he held his hand up. "However," he sighed, his eyes landing on my Bella, "he does have experience with shields. Not many as powerful as you, Bella, but at least that's something. He's convinced shields only work...physically."

"I knew it," Bella grumbled, frowning a little. But it was her silent pride that I'd been right that made me smile and kiss the side of her head.

"Again," Carlisle stated a little forcefully, "he's still not sure what that means. It may not mean anything." He locked eyes with me, silently begging me to hold my tongue with what he was about to discuss. "We've seen humans recount their experiences with the supernatural. There have been numerous studies, television shows, movies, books, even photographic and video evidence of people that have given to prove their experience. There are physical manifestations of these cases – rattling windows and doors, the feel of someone being touched – and in some cases, children have been yanked from their beds. Bleeding walls, moving and disappearing objects, howling voices..._threatening voices_," he urged the last one with a raised eyebrow my way. "Some claim that these are lost souls, others claim that they are demons from hell, but in all reality..._we don't know_. And that bothers me a little."

He stood up and started to pace, his mind trying to decide whether to pose a question to the family as a whole or not.

"Ask," I stated, and he spun to look at me. "My vote is no, but I'm not the only one here."

I knew him well enough to know that he took his leadership of the family extremely seriously, but he also had no problem putting something to a vote. He was surprised by my choice.

"Ask them, or I will," I urged him with a smirk.

He huffed a laugh and nodded. He inhaled slowly and then let it out. Facing the room, he said, "I think if any of you are...uncomfortable here, then we should decide on whether or not to leave. Do any of you want to move on?"

I flinched a little at having nine minds explode into thought, but Bella's small hand in mine soothed me. Despite the rapid thought processes, no one said anything for a moment; they merely looked to their mate, because in all reality, our mates came first.

I looked to Bella, locking with worried brown. Her nose wrinkled a little, but she shrugged, allowing me to see her mind. _I don't know, Edward. I worry what this place doing to you. And yet...you'd stay?_

"Yes, I'd stay, and I'll tell you why, love," I said to her, but everyone paused their own discussions to listen to me. "This...this voice I'm hearing – whether physical or spiritual – _knows what we are_." My voice had an urging tone to it that I hadn't meant to use, so I softened it a little. "They've called us monsters, mentioned blood. It's choppy in my head, but I get the impression we're not the first vampires they've ever seen. I'm sure Jasper can attest to this, but I don't feel...threatened. Does that make sense?" I asked, and when my girl nodded, I went on. "I only feel fear...terror, actually."

Jasper nodded, sighing deeply. "And you know what else I've noticed?" he asked, and my eyebrows shot up at his theory. He grinned a little. "Think about it, Edward... Every time you heard them or _we_ felt them... The presence of a woman bothers this...this...whatever the hell it is."

I tilted my head and thought back to each and every time I'd heard it, and he was right. Bella or the girls had been in the room. And the most explosive experience down in the tunnel...they'd all been there.

"Is this some morbid curiosity?" Rose asked, looking at Emmett, who had already decided he'd stay, and I knew my sister well enough to know that she'd go along with the majority on this one. She didn't scare easily, and she was just tenacious enough to want to figure it all out, though she'd say none of that aloud.

"Probably on some level, my Diva." Kevin chuckled, shrugging a shoulder and linking his fingers with Adrian's. "We're in. I mean...we'll go along with whatever, but our vote is to stay," he clarified.

"Yeah, we're in," Adrian reiterated with a nod, though what he didn't say aloud was that he hated to watch his new family worry, and he didn't like what he'd witnessed down in Varner's workshop.

"I did _not_ do all this painting and cleaning for nothing," Alice huffed, causing a few chuckles around the room as she folded her arms across her chest. But her smile fell quickly. "But I hate that I can't see whatever this is. I was blind down in that tunnel until Bella's shield came up around me. Which makes me think this is something I don't know. Sorry, Edward, but I think this is a ghost. I can't see things I've never experienced."

I nodded, understanding where her theory was coming from. It was an idea that she'd been poking around since the beginning, but it had solidified when she saw the tunnel.

All eyes fell on Esme because she sat forward. She looked to Carlisle. They'd already talked about this, so she knew where he stood. He wanted to stay because he was overly curious, but he'd never make a single one of us suffer. Our mother's thoughts swirled around her children and worry and comfort, but she finally looked around the room.

"I'll stay, but only if everyone else is in agreement," she stated. "This house has a past to it that is sad and scary. If I'd have known half of it, I wouldn't have closed on it." Her voice was firm. "I don't know if I believe in ghosts, but I do believe that some places keep the energy that lived within it. You feel it. You feel it cemeteries, hospitals, and houses that have seen scary things. Some call it an aura..." She shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know if that's what it is. I only know what I've felt in these places, and this place is the same. It has a story to tell."

Bella's head shot up from where she'd been spinning my wedding ring. Her thoughts completely vanished from my mind, and my brow wrinkled as she narrowed her eyes at our mother.

"Bella?" I asked softly, and when she looked up at me, her eyes were dark. "You're the last vote, love."

I wanted to laugh because they all considered her to be the baby, despite the arrival of Kevin and Adrian. I was pretty sure it was because she was a girl – something that she'd roll her eyes at if she knew. But that baby status was causing a stir in everyone's minds. They'd do what she wanted. Every man in the house wanted to spoil her, give her what she wanted. All the women wanted to protect her. I held back my amusement at the change in things. She had no idea the power she held.

She looked to Esme, and her face was sad, her thoughts still blocked to me. "I didn't believe that until just now," she said softly, "but you're right. The house in Forks radiated life and goodness and hope."

My heart squeezed in my chest. "Bella, no..."

"It's true," she stated, her voice calm, soft, her smile sad but sweet. "When you guys left, I _needed _to see it, and it worked. It calmed me...just knowing it was there, that it was real. And yeah, it has tons of stories inside. But this house..." she urged, pointing a finger toward the floor. "This house needs someone to listen." Carlisle started to speak, but she held up her hand. "Wait. I'm not finished."

"Go on, sweetheart," Esme told her.

"For a spit second, I felt something good in that tunnel. Something that needed me. I know that doesn't make sense," she said, shaking her head a little. "It pulled so hard on my shield that I could barely get my control back long enough to help Edward and Jasper."

Carlisle knelt in front of her, but he looked to me in question. I nodded that she had, indeed, struggled to gain control in that passageway.

"What do you want to do, Bella?" he asked her softly.

"I hate what it's doing to Edward and Jasper. _Hate it_," she growled, her small hands balling up into fists.

"Love, I'm okay," I told her, tilting her chin up so that she could see the truth behind my words.

"Baby girl, we've been through worse," Jasper drawled, a chuckle lacing through his statement.

"Could you counter it?" she asked him.

He mused over the question, but nodded. "You mean, send out something right back? Instead of the fear?"

"Yeah."

"I could try. That's some strong fear I'm picking up," he told her honestly.

I looked to Carlisle. "She's right. Even music settled it down. If Jasper could counter the fear with say...a calm or even pleasant emotion, then maybe things could mellow out."

Our father nodded; his theory had been pretty similar to hers. "Okay, we'll stay, but if at _any_ time, one of you becomes uncomfortable, we're putting to another vote." He sighed and stood up. "The last thing I wanted to go over with you is that Marcus offered to send someone."

"Please say Demitri, please say Demitri," Kevin chanted dramatically with his hands pressed together in prayer. Every girl in the house cracked the hell up. "What? He's sweet eye candy!" he beamed, and even Adrian nodded in agreement.

"It is, in fact, Demitri," Carlisle said with a laugh.

"Awesome!" Emmett cheered. "It's been ages since D's been to visit!"

"Well, it just so happens that Demitri and Carina are stateside, so they could most likely be here in a few days," Carlisle finished with a smile because the whole room's attitude had changed at the announcement.

"Cool, Carina, too," Bella said with a beaming smile.

"So...Dr. Frank-N-Furter," Kevin snorted. "We're staying in _Rocky Horror's Picture Show_?"

I laughed at Carlisle's eye roll, but he nodded and said, "Yes, for now."

The meeting was definitely over when Emmett and Kevin broke out into song.

"I'm just a sweet transvestite...from Transsexual, Transylvania..."

"Oh, Lord," Bella sighed, shaking her head. "If we last until Halloween, what do you think the odds are that we just found our theme?" she muttered wryly up to me, which caused my laughter all over again.

"Ooh! Perfect!" Alice gasped, her visions absolutely assaulting her.

It was time to depart when Emmett boomed, "Hells, yes! I'm gonna rock those gold shorts as the monster!"

I stood up, holding my hand out for Bella, because Alice was already picturing us as Brad and Janet. "And on that note...we're out of here."

Alice's laughter followed us all the way upstairs, but I slammed the door to shut her up.

~oOo~

The next few days were uneventful as far as the house was concerned. The voice, the fear...it stayed quiet. Rose and Emmett worked on the garage, rebuilding the workbench and stabilizing the brick walls, which included sealing up the hole where small animals couldn't get in. Jasper and I worked on setting up the library with some sort of way to store our instruments. There was a spare wall opposite the windows, so we hung most of the guitars on the wall like we had at Bella's and my house in London.

The cellar was left alone per Carlisle's instructions. He wanted it sealed up until he got ahold of Demitri, which he did two days after our family meeting. Our good friend didn't even ask for details, but said he and his mate Carina were in Colorado, and that they'd be to us as soon as they could. They'd been visiting with another couple of good friends of the family – Catherine and Brandon. Apparently, Brandon had been attending the University of Colorado, and he'd had trouble with someone that suspected his true nature. Somehow, it had ended up on a human's personal blog, and Demitri was there to "take care of it." That last statement made Carlisle flinch during their conversation, but unfortunately, the rules of the Volturi hadn't changed much, even under Marcus's more laid-back command. Our existence had to remain a secret at all costs.

Carlisle, being...well, Carlisle, extended an invitation to Catherine and Brandon, as well, to come for a visit. Demitri had said that he'd pass the offer along and would get back to us when they were on their way.

Once the house was pretty much finished as far as renovations were concerned, we settled into some sort of routine. Jasper would post our "homework" on the home-school website just maintain appearances, Alice had started to consider a trip into New Brunswick to shop, and Kevin and Adrian were fitting in like they'd always been in the family. Adrian liked the quiet that Bella brought to a room, so he tended to cling to her a little. Together, they still pored over everything they could about this house and the town. Kevin was trying to learn the guitar, so occasionally, he'd hang out with Jasper and me in the library.

"This perfect memory thing is the shit!" Kevin said with a laugh as he plucked out the same thing that Jasper had just showed him.

Chuckling, I shook my head and focused back onto the piano. The house was quiet, most everyone doing their own thing. Emmett, Jasper, Kevin, and I were playing for the fun of it.

Adrian glanced up from his spot on the couch, saying, "It helps that you know music, Kev."

"True, but still..." Kevin grinned, playing rhythm guitar to Jasper's lead as we began "Promised Land" by Elvis.

It was a faster song, but easy, leaving room for errors, which Kevin didn't have many of. Jasper sang softly as Emmett sounded like a carbon copy of the King's original. The house felt lighter than had in days. The girls were upstairs with Esme in Alice and Jasper's room, discussing their impending trip to Canada and what they might need. I could hear my Bella folding clothes. It was when she toted the finished basket up the stairs to our room that her steps faltered.

I stopped playing, as did my brothers, because the growl that my girl let loose practically shook the foundations of the entire house. Her feet pounded rapidly down the stairs.

"Which one of you took it?" she snarled, barreling into the room.

Her thoughts toward Jasper and Emmett were almost violent, so I was up and off the piano bench to catch her up in my arms before she could reach them.

"Which one?!" she snapped, pointing over my shoulder at them, and I could barely figure out what was upsetting her.

"Bella, slow down, sweetheart. What's wrong? What happened?" I asked her, forcing her gaze to mine.

She didn't say anything, but her whole body trembled in my arms. Flashes of our room, her nightstand, and the box I'd given her to store my letters were at the forefront. The box was missing. She wasn't sure when the last time she'd seen them. She loved the box, so she'd left it on her nightstand. But we hadn't been up there all day.

"What do you mean, they're 'missing?'" I asked her.

Jasper, obviously picking up on her panic, asked, "What's missing?"

"My box of Edward's letters," she sneered. "Which one of you did it?"

I turned to watch my brothers, but they were all stunned at her accusations. Emmett had teased her more than one time about them, but in reality, he'd never bother them. Jasper respected her and her things, no matter what taunts he may have thrown her way. And Kevin and Adrian were just...confused.

I shook my head slowly, glancing back to Bella's ire-filled face. "Love, they didn't take them. I promise. In fact, none of them even really knew where they were."

"No, but wait," she pleaded, glancing between me and then her brothers. "If they... No, no, no... They can't have just disappeared. They just..._can't_!"

My heart broke at the sound of her. Her sweet face was wrecked, her eyes blinking rapidly, so I knew she was fighting the sting of tears she could no longer shed, and her fingers gripped my T-shirt with a tenacious hold.

"This is like my drill and her iPod," Emmett muttered, his face so very serious. "And this is getting personal." He turned to Jasper. "Maybe you're right about the girly thing..."

"Edward, no..." she whispered, shaking her head and looking down at her hands between us. Her mind was begging me to just..._fix it_.

With her still in my arms, I turned to leave the library, seeing that the rest of the family had come down to check on her. Carlisle was the most concerned, but I just shook my head and walked past them.

"Show me, sweet girl," I requested once we were in our room. "Where were they?"

"There," she said so softly, pointing to the empty space on her nightstand.

I sat down on the edge of the bed, keeping her on my lap. Cupping her face, I vowed, "We'll find them, baby. I'll tear the house apart if we have to. In fact, if you listen closely, I'm pretty sure everyone has already started."

She nodded, her gaze more on her own fingers played with the buttons of my outer shirt, but she stayed quiet.

"You know," I whispered, smiling a little when she met my gaze, "you didn't have to save them. Your memory could recall every word." I tapped her temple, but her brow furrowed.

"That's not the point."

"Oh, Bella, I love that you kept them, that you appreciated them that much," I groaned, wanting like anything to ease this in in some way. "_I_ remember every word I've ever written you, except for the one letter when I was not quite...myself. If I have to, I'll rewrite them all."

"You would?"

I laughed at the sound of her surprise – like there wasn't anything I wouldn't do for her – and I kissed her lips roughly. "Every crossed T and dotted...lower case J," I pledged, placing a hand over my heart.

Her lips quirked at my attempt to be funny, but she nodded, burying her face into my neck. "I'm sorry I freaked out."

"I can't judge you on that one, love," I said with a snicker, kissing her fingers one by one.

I could hear Kevin approaching, his mind frantic with a way to just...help. He absolutely hated when his Goddess was upset about something. The love he had for her was immense, but he also understood that she was very protective of anything to do with me, with our relationship. And that, he really just...got. As boisterous as his personality could be, he truly was a kind-hearted soul.

He knocked on the door frame tentatively, and Bella and I both looked up at him.

"I'm sorry, Goddess," he said softly, his brow furrowing. "This isn't the first thing to go missing, right?" he asked.

She shook her head no and waited patiently for him to make his point.

"And things go missing when we aren't here or not looking?" he verified. When we nodded, he said,

"Well, I have an idea. Have you ever seen the TV show _Ghost Hunters_?"

"Yeah," we both said slowly, because Emmett occasionally liked to watch it.

"Holy shit!" Emmett boomed, rushing up the stairs. "You're brilliant!"

"What?!" Bella and I asked.

Emmett grinned, slapping a heavy hand to Kevin's shoulder. "We set up cameras...all over the house. We link them to a computer and record...overnight...while we aren't here."

My eyebrows shot up, but I looked to Bella, who shrugged as the most adorable confused expression took over her face.

"I'll try anything," she stated.

"Okay...what do we do?" I stood up, sliding Bella to the floor.

"Well, this ought to make Princess happy." Kevin stole a look down the stairs when Alice's chuckle met our ears. "We need to go shopping."

Carlisle stepped into the room, wearing a solemn expression. His curiosity was peaked again, but he didn't mention it. He simply studied Bella for a minute. "Bella, we'll still continue to look, okay? But I'd like for you guys to get out of this house for a bit."

"Thanks, Carlisle," she sighed, giving the empty spot on her nightstand a longing look.

"Okay," Kevin huffed, nodding once and rubbing his hands together. "Look out, Caribou...here we come!"

* * *

**A/N… Sigh… Angelward offering to rewrite every letter may be the sweetest gesture he's ever done. LOL But I'm a sucker for his sweetness. ;) Poor baby, lost her letters. :(**

**So…there is a room, tunnel, and two different accesses to the cellar under the house – the basement and the library. William Varner had a "workshop." Inevitably, he used it to hide shit during Prohibition. The tunnel empties out into the garage. And now…Bella's shield is reacting to the house…or at least what's inside the house.**

**Mmm…and Demitri's coming… Have I ever missed him. LOL**

**Another song is added to the playlist – "Promised Land" by Elivs Presley…and yeah, it's totally the song from the first **_**Men in Black**_**. ****There are a few pics that go with this, and thanks to JenRar, all of it will be added to my blog.**

**I try to lighten things up a bit in the next chapter. If things continue to go well, the next posting will be Sunday. I'm working on chapter 7 right now, and it's a detail-oriented chapter, so if that goes well, then I'll continue the double postings. **** If not, then it'll be Wednesday. Until next time… Mooches, Deb. ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N... Okay, so I want everyone to take a deep breath and relax. This is one of those chapters you can do that with. ;) A little music, a whole lot of family, and a touch of citrus...even a little flashback to _Broken Angel_. So...relax, there's no creepy stuff in this chapter. **

**See you guys at the bottom...**

* * *

Chapter 6

**BELLA**

"Take a left up here on this main road," I told Edward from the back seat as I studied the directions on my phone to the closest electronics store.

"Thank you, Bella," he answered softly, his long fingers flipping down the turn signal in the Volvo.

There were just five of us in the car – Edward, Alice, Jasper, Kevin, and myself. The rest had stayed back at home to continue the search for my box of Edward's letters and to sort out exactly where we were going to be setting up the cameras.

Kevin suddenly snatched my phone from my lap, his laugh coming out in a snort. "Oh ho! Is that Heavy E's sweet ass as a wallpaper?"

I laughed, especially when Edward groaned. "Why, yes…yes, it is," I told Kevin smugly. "I have a whole file of those. Wanna see?"

"Isabella," Edward grumbled with a shake of his head.

Jasper laughed and gave his brother a light punch to his arm. "She finally got you, didn't she?"

"She did," I answered for him with a grin, nodding like a child. "I got him while he was hanging pictures in our room."

Kevin chuckled, flipping through a handful of pictures of Edward's butt that I'd taken in the last several months – in jeans, dress pants, and sweats. "Nice, Goddess."

"I'm thinking a collage wallpaper for my laptop. What'cha think?" I teased, just to hear Edward's sigh of defeat as he pulled into a parking space.

From the back seat, I couldn't tell whether he was rolling his eyes or not, but I was pretty sure he was. Alice laughed softly from the other side of Kevin, but Jasper seemed to be filling the whole car with mischief, which was helping take my mind off the fact that Edward's letters were missing. It wasn't the letters themselves – especially since my sweet husband had said he'd rewrite every last one – it was the memories attached to them. He'd passed them to me in our many shared classes, left them for me in our combined lockers, and the most important ones were the letters he'd written to me while he was away – ones he'd never sent. I cherished each beautifully-written word, each carefully-folded piece of paper.

Edward shut off the car and turned to me, his eyes a sweet, golden honey. "I know, Bella. We're going to do our best, okay?" he assured me, and once I nodded, he turned his attention to Kevin.

"How's your control in public, Kevin?"

"Okay, I think." He shrugged a shoulder. "I promise to say something. Though I can't imagine that I'd possibly lower myself to drink from someone wearing overalls," he said jokingly with a snobby tone to his voice. "They must at least be in Prada or Gucci."

Edward studied his face for a moment, ignoring the jibe as the rest of us laughed, but he was most likely reading the truth in Kevin's mind. He nodded once before opening his door and then mine, holding his hand out for me. His lips pressed to the side of my head, a small chuckle pushing against my hair.

"Let me see your phone," he commanded with a smirk.

"No!" I swiftly tucked it into my pocket. "You'll delete them or something."

He and Jasper laughed as we made our way through the parking lot, but Edward shot Alice a growl.

"Actually, he was," she said knowingly, wearing a big grin and ducking Edward's reach for her.

I gasped, my mouth hanging open as I glared up at him. _Really, Edward?_ I thought to him, because I knew for a fact that there were a few hidden files on his phone, too. _Shall we go through the pictures on __your__ phone? Hmm?_

He cracked a sexy, crooked smile, dragging his tongue along his bottom lip. "Okay, okay," he conceded, holding up a hand in a surrendering gesture.

Alice paused just before we reached the door of the store, her eyes glazing over briefly. "Brace yourselves," she stated. "We're going to be…noticed."

Once we walked in, I saw what she meant. The store was busy. Really busy. People were everywhere, and they ranged from all ages, but most noticeably, they were young. Noisy video games, movies, and music blared from different parts of the store. The scent of humans surrounded us, and multiple heavy heartbeats thumped in our ears. For Edward, this meant several minds converging on him at one time.

"I'm okay," he told me in my ear, linking our fingers together.

This was the first time in quite a while that we'd been on display as a group. It had the same feeling of walking through a school for the first time. The whispers, the recognition, and the stares would be something I'd probably never get used to. However, this wasn't my first time. Kevin, on the other hand, flinched when he heard it all.

"That's them – the new family living in the old Varner place."

"I hear they're all adopted or foster kids or somethin'."

"Damn, they're all so…gorgeous."

"Are they going to Caribou High?"

"No, no…I hear they get taught at home or some shit."

"My mom thinks they're together…like couples."

"Who fucking gives a shit about some uptight, rich family?"

That last question caused Edward to glance to his right to the music section. His eyes narrowed in on a young teen couple. The girl was petite, with dark hair and hazel eyes, and she was openly ogling Jasper, Edward, and Kevin. The boy, however, glared right back at my husband, though his sweaty palms and increasing heartbeat gave away his fear. He was tall, skinny, wearing jeans that dropped too low and an oversized T-shirt. His close-cropped hair and pierced eyebrow gave him a look of danger, but it was all false bravado because he eventually broke his gaze away.

Edward huffed a single laugh through his nose, turning to the rest of us. "That would be Mrs. Delap's daughter and her…boyfriend." That last word came out wryly, though with a little bit of a sneer to it.

"Oh," I said with a laugh, remembering the nice realtor that had shown us around the house. "No wonder she liked your manners better."

Edward smiled and nodded as he continued to guide us back to the computer area, where he and Jasper immediately started debating over what we needed with the sales clerk. Talk of security and modems and cables started, and it all sounded complicated to me, so I wandered away to the movies and music.

"Is it always like that?" Kevin asked in a whisper.

I glanced up at his face. He seemed to be holding his own, but he looked a little unnerved.

"Pretty much, yeah," I told him with a nod, but I leaned in closer. "Just be glad we aren't starting you off at school yet."

"Oh, God…like it wasn't hellfire and brimstone the first time," he muttered with an eye roll.

I leaned against the rack we were standing next to. "No kidding, but it's not so bad now. I mean, you can take it for what it is. You know the truth, and the talk is meaningless. And there's no one that will pick on you. Their self-preservation won't really let them. They know, but they don't know."

"They want to believe what we tell them, so they don't really look too closely," Alice added, joining us. "We chose not to attend here simply for you and Adrian."

Kevin smiled and nodded. "I suppose I should thank you, though it would be interesting to see the stir Diva and Heavy E get in the hallway."

Alice and I laughed. "You have no idea," we said at the same time, which caused us all to laugh that much harder and draw a little attention our way. We ignored it.

Edward and Jasper were debating infrared versus night vision versus high definition, which just caused Alice to roll her eyes.

"They'll go with night vision," she stated.

While the boys made their purchase, the three of us continued to look around, trying to ignore the stares and the whispers. Due to it being a small town, word had moved along about the rather large, rather well-off family that had moved in. Edward and I had been spotted at the library and the hardware store – though the latter was the where most of the people had seen us all at one point or another.

Alice and Kevin went off to look at cell phones while I meandered around the movies and games. My attention was ripped away from the shelves when I heard a woman approach Jasper and Edward. I shook my head at the shameless way the young assistant manager wormed her way into the poor clerk's sale. Even he was looking at her like she was crazy. She was pretty, blonde, and all smiles as she offered warranties, credit cards...anything to keep the boys' attention.

My thoughts – probably louder than anyone else's to him – caught Edward's mind. He slowly turned to shoot me an expression that screamed, "Don't even say a word."

I snorted into a giggle, having to cover it with my hand._God, Edward. They can't help it. Do I need to play the hyper, touchy girlfriend?_

His grin was beautiful and silly, taking over his whole face for a moment before he fought it. His brow furrowed, and he shook his head no as he turned back to swipe his credit card.

I found a few classic movies and a new release that I wanted. I was studying the horror section when the scent of honey and linen wafted around me just before lips pressed to the back of my head.

"Hey, handsome," I sighed happily.

"Sweet girl, while we're here, do you want to replace your iPod?" Edward's voice was smooth and soft, like warm caramel.

I smiled at the fact that he spoiled me rotten and then turned to face him, shaking my head no with a wrinkle to my nose. "No, baby," I told him. "Mine is probably reading your letters to Emmett's drill somewhere in the house."

Edward laughed, kissing my forehead. "If you say so, love."

Once everyone had finished their shopping and we were back in the Volvo, Jasper said, "Well, that was interesting."

Kevin grinned and nodded, but when his head shot up and his mouth opened to say something, Edward interrupted him.

"I don't know why you're bothering to ask, Kevin," he said with a chuckle.

"What?" I asked, looking between the two.

"Kevin wants to know what we're going to do while the cameras are recording," Alice supplied, beaming like a sunny day. She bounced in the seat once or twice but finally leaned forward to kiss Jasper's cheek and ruffle Edward's hair. "Thank you, thank you!" She turned to me, grinning widely. "Open mic night!"

Edward ran a hand through his hair, turning to me with a sweet smile. "We figured that would make all of you happy."

Kevin and I nodded fervently.

"We'll do it in New Brunswick. That'll give us enough time for the cameras to do their job before coming home," Jasper explained.

"I'm in!" Kevin gushed, poking a laughing Edward's shoulder. "Get to crankin', Heavy E! We've got cameras to put up and songs to pick!"

It didn't surprise me that my box of letters – or my iPod and Emmett's drill, for that matter – were still missing by the time we got back home, but everyone got to work. A few hours later, cameras were up, software was loaded, and Emmett called us to watch what he'd set up.

"Okay, everyone come take a look," Emmett boomed from the dining room where he had two laptops – mine and Jasper's – opened up in front of him. Once we were all gathered around him, he explained the multiple squares on the screens. "Okay, so every camera on the first floor is being recorded to this computer," he said, tapping the top of my laptop, "and the rest are going to this one." He pointed to Jasper's computer before quickly typing on the keyboards.

He briefly brought each angle to the forefront, zooming in, zooming out, focusing, and finally getting it to the position that he wanted it in, only to move on to the next camera. There were cameras in the living room, dining room, library, and kitchen. The guys had also set one up at the cellar doors outside and one aiming for the stairs leading up to the bedrooms. Both the second floor and third floor hallways were covered...and finally, there was the basement, where there were two – one pointing toward the back, near the secret brick entryway, and one where the steps led up to the kitchen.

"The cameras you guys got are perfect," he praised, giving Edward and Jasper, who wore proud smiles, a fist bump. "They are exactly what we needed. And I was able to download software very similar to what they use on that TV show. Watch." He glanced around and looked to Esme. "Mom, walk toward the kitchen."

She nodded and did as he asked, but the rest of us kept our eyes on the computer screen. Two cameras picked up her short walk, but the really cool thing was that every movement was hightlighted by a thin, white box. It flickered around her feet, her legs, and her hands when she lifted them. It even caught the swish of her hair.

Emmett spun to face us. "If something moves in here, whether we can see what causes it or not, the movement will get caught on camera – an open door, an object that moves, even the turn of a doorknob."

I smiled, tilting my head at the vase at the other side of the room. I manipulated my shield carefully, giving it a gentle nudge. When the screen in front of me flickered with the movement, my eyebrows shot up.

"Cool," I breathed, smiling a little and leaning into Edward's kiss to my head.

"Testing it, sweet girl?" he asked, kissing my head again when I nodded.

"What? You don't believe me?" Emmett teased with a grin. "Do it again, only this time…" He gazed around the room. "Push open that door."

Nodding, I used my shield again and slammed open the door to Carlisle and Esme's room. A giggle escaped me when it all showed up on the computer screen.

"See?" Emmett beamed, causing the rest of us to chuckle. "So when we finally leave, we'll set these to record all night. And they'll catch more because these are night vision cameras."

I didn't think it was possible, but his smile grew wider, his dimples more prominent in his sweet cheeks.

He clapped his hands once, rubbing them together. "Now…what are we singing? I mean, we've got an extra guitarist now, so…"

The girls and I squealed in happiness, but Kevin simply shook his head. "I'm not ready. Seriously," he argued.

Edward, Emmett, and Jasper all scoffed, waving it off, not saying anything.

"You're perfectly ready, Kev," I countered. "You played all day yesterday without any problems."

An evil, wicked smile crept up his handsome face, and suddenly, Alice and Edward started to laugh.

"Good luck with that," Edward murmured, glancing between us.

"Fine, I'll play," Kevin stated, folding his arms across his chest. "On one condition…"

Adrian chuckled softly, saying, "Oh, boy. Here we go…"

Kevin seemed to have set his sights on me, so my eyes narrowed on him, my own arms matching his stance.

"What?" I asked.

"Sing." When my mouth fell open and Edward laughed again, Kevin kept going. "One song. That's it. I'll even sing with you. But you can really sing…especially where we're going."

I was shaking my head the entire time he was talking, and when he was done, I huffed a heavy exhale through my nose. My eyes met Edward's, and I knew I'd never get any sympathy from him. He loved it when I joined them on these open mic nights.

He grinned, shoving his hands in his pockets and glancing down at the floor briefly. "I really do, Bella. But you don't have to. No one's making you."

Smirking at him, I rolled my eyes, finally landing my gaze back on Kevin. "And just where are we going?"

"_Leather and Lace_, a bar in New Brunswick," Emmett answered instead, grinning like a fool. "Rock-n-roll, baby girl! It was that or some wussy piano bar."

Edward's head fell back with his laugh, but he said nothing. Whether they wanted to admit it or not, the playing of rock music in front of humans was some sort of release for them. It was a chance to excel in something, a chance to draw attention to themselves without it being for the wrong reasons. And they were _so very good_ at it. From the audience's perspective, they were three – now four – very talented teen boys. From the stage, it was a chance to work off aggressions and stress…and play for their mates, who loved every second of it.

"Aw, Kevin," I whined. I knew Edward would kill to watch me on stage, but I hated the attention.

"Please, my beautiful Goddess," he pleaded.

I looked to Alice, who was practically bouncing on her toes. She glanced between me and Kevin and finally to Edward, who raised his hands in surrender and backed away until he was leaning against the far dining room wall. Apparently, nothing could be seen because I hadn't made a decision yet.

"Come on, baby sis," Jasper drawled, smiling crookedly as his heavy arm draped around my shoulders. "It's a helluva lot of fun. You know that!"

Shielding just me and Alice, I made a choice, grinning when she nodded frantically.

"Do it!" she hissed.

The one person I didn't think would have an opinion sidled up next to me, saying, "I love watching my boys, but you have a beautiful voice, Bella." Esme gave me a wink and a sweet smile that no one on Earth could've resisted. "You say the boys haven't played in a long time, but it's been even longer since you joined them," she reminded me, wearing a face of pure – and utterly put-on – innocence.

"Not fair," I growled at her. "_Mom_," I added for emphasis, which caused Carlisle, who was watching his family with a blissful face, to chuckle. My eyes narrowed again, only this time to my ever-so-quiet husband, who was still leaning against the wall. "You have an opinion you'd like to share with the class, Edward?"

"Not a chance," he said with a laugh and a shake of his head. "I'm crazy about you…_and_ your singing…but I'm not stupid."

That made Esme and me giggle, but I finally faced an anxious Kevin again. "I have my own condition, boys." Once I had their attention, I said, "I'll sing _one_ song. Just one. But I get to pick everything you play tonight." I raised an eyebrow at them.

There was a brief moment of silence before four male voices shouted, "Deal!"

Rolling my eyes, I nodded. "Okay, then, let's pick," I sighed, trying to ignore the cheers behind me as I walked into the library.

~oOo~

"I think Bella should go last," Jasper said as he unloaded our equipment into the space behind the stage. "With that crowd, how can we not?"

"That's what I'm afraid of," Edward said with a touch of a growl to his voice.

Emmett chuckled, gripping his shoulder. "Relax, Ed. They'll love her."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Edward said again, grinning and sending a wink my way when I laughed.

It seemed Saturday night at _Le__ather and Lace_ was a rough night as far as patrons went. Emmett had booked us for three songs, but what we hadn't known was that the bar was in a seedier part of town. Not that we were worried about getting mugged or hurt, but the humans sitting at the tables inside the bar were a little…vocal. The poor band before us was good – really good – and the audience let them know it. However, when they first stepped on stage, you could practically feel the room tell them they needed to prove themselves.

"Look at it this way," Kevin started with a snicker. "If they hate us on the first two songs, then we'll redeem ourselves with the Goddess here."

"They won't hate you," I argued with a laugh and a shake of my head. "You're a thousand times better than the first band. And they were good."

I checked my makeup in the mirror, making sure I looked flushed, like a young teen girl should, while the boys set up the stage. There was already a piano up there, but the owner wasn't sure whether or not it was in tune, so with a quick check, Edward had it sounding the way that he wanted.

The side stage door slammed open, and the bar's owner, Dwayne, stomped in. He was a burly, sweaty man that couldn't quite keep his eyes from roaming over me, which only made Edward – and the rest of the boys, for that matter – step closer. Edward's finger hooked into the back belt loop of my jeans in a possessive way, but his eyes darkened on the large man.

"You guys are on in five," Dwayne said in a gruff voice. "And sweet cheeks, if I were you…don't step near the edge of that stage. I'd hate to have to bust out my baseball bat tonight. For real."

I snorted softly to myself, thinking I could definitely do more damage than any flimsy baseball bat, but I simply nodded. "Got it. Thanks."

"Ugh," Kevin groaned to himself, wearing a disgusted look on his face as he spoke just low enough that Dwayne couldn't hear him. "If all humans smelled like that, I'd have no problems whatsoever. He smells like sweat, grease, and old fish."

My giggle was loud, and I buried it into Edward's chest, because Kevin was right. Dwayne smelled just…awful. Edward covered my faux pas by kissing the side of my neck and lifting me up on an unused amp. His amusement was all over his handsome face as he stepped between my legs, ignoring Dwayne as he explained the sound system to Emmett. He cupped my face, kissing my lips softly.

"Sorry," I whispered.

"Don't be," he countered, grinning at me. "I love that sound. It's my…second favorite sound in the world."

He'd said it that way just to crank up my curiosity, I was well aware, so I couldn't help but ask, "So what's your favorite?"

"This one," he murmured just before kissing me.

A little whimper mixed in with a purr pushed out of me and against his cheek. I smiled into the kiss because I'd never noticed it. It was a combination of a want for more and frustration that it would never be enough.

Edward chuckled. "Exactly, my sweet, beautiful girl."

He dropped a heavy kiss to my forehead as I straightened his clothes. He looked absolutely delicious in dark jeans, a black T-shirt, and his mono-black Chucks.

Running my fingers through his hair, I said, "You'd better get going."

"I want you right at the side of the stage until your song, love. Okay?" he asked, waiting until I agreed. "No need to put you out there. Carlisle and Adrian are handling their table, but it's a rough crowd."

"It's time, kids. Good luck," Dwayne called before walking out the door.

I gave Edward one more kiss and the boys a fist bump before they walked onto the stage. I followed them as far as the side curtain, my microphone in hand. As I glanced out over the audience, I shook my head. It made me glad I'd picked the songs that I had because the one the boys were going to open with would not only grab humans' attention, but it would earn them instant respect with this crowd. How could it not? In fact, one of the guys at the front table was wearing the band's T-shirt.

Edward strapped on the very first guitar I'd ever bought him – a sunburst Ibenez. Jasper was taking bass this time, and Kevin was going to be rhythm guitar. However, this song was all on Emmett as far as singing went, something he was rather proud of. My biggest brother loved that I'd picked this song in light of the situation at home, and he adored his heavy metal.

I smiled when Jasper's heavy bass started at the same time as Emmett's drums. But Edward's growling guitar kicked in, leading Kevin, and it was all over. The crowd's mouths fell open when they recognized "Enter Sandman" by Metallica.

I giggled when the boys enjoyed singing about things in the dark, sleeping with one eye open, and things that would _bite_. Edward's lead was insane and just about identical to the original song as he, Jasper, and Kevin planted themselves at the front of the stage. Emmett's drums were heavy as they rumbled so loudly that I could feel each beat in my chest. It was incredible to watch them lose themselves to the music, the stress practically melting out of their shoulders as the crowd cheered and sang with them. They wore smug, crooked smiles as they sang, wrinkled brows as they concentrated, and nodding heads as they read each other like books.

Edward shot me a wink when it came time for the prayer in the middle of the song. He chanted it softly, sexily, as Kevin repeated it as the haunting echo.

_Now I lay me down to sleep,  
Pray the Lord my soul to keep.  
If I die before I wake,  
Pray the Lord my soul to take._

Emmett took back over lead vocals, never missing a beat and grinning as he finished out the song.

I clapped along with the audience and my family, shaking my head as the boys changed up quickly. Kevin was taking bass on the next song because Edward and Jasper were going to play together – Jasper on an electric acoustic. The energy that infused the crowd only increased due to Jasper's talent. He sent it right back out to them, most likely without even thinking about it.

The next song I'd picked was something they'd never have been able to play without Kevin. Boston's "More Than a Feeling" was beautiful, but that band had a thick, full sound. Edward explained that the reason for that was the bass played the same as the lead, so the sound was bigger. But they needed two lead guitars – one acoustic and one electric.

Jasper started with a light sound, but it was Kevin that started singing. The song billowed out into a large sound that seemed to encompass all of us, Kevin's and Edward's voices blending beautifully, but it was Edward that took the second verse, his eyes on me.

_So many people have come and gone,  
Their faces fade as the years go by.  
Yet I still recall as I wander on,  
As clear as the sun in the summer sky._

_It's more than a feeling,  
When I hear that old song they used to play.  
I begin dreaming  
More than a feeling…_

Jasper and Edward leaned shoulder to shoulder, playing with smug smiles on their faces, making sure to meet each note. Kevin took back over the singing, the boys on backup, and it was driving the crowd crazy. More than one voice met my ears, asking how boys so young could play the classics with such…feeling.

When the song was over, Edward removed his guitar, setting it gently in its stand. Emmett, though, addressed the crowd.

"We've got one more for you guys tonight," he told them, chuckling when the crowd cheered, "but for this next song, we called in some help. Ready, baby girl?"

Edward stepped toward me, holding out his hand. I walked to him, and he gave my fingers a gentle squeeze as he led me to the mic stand.

"You'll be perfect. You always are, love," he whispered before backing away to take his seat at the piano.

The whoops and hollers that met my ears were encouraging, not rude in the way that I'd expected, though I was pretty sure Jasper was controlling them at this point. A wolf whistle echoed through the bar, and I smiled, giving Edward a nod.

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

There were no words for how I felt about sharing the stage with Bella. Playing music had always been an escape, a way for me to bury the bad things, take the edge off tough times. But playing with my brothers was just fun and easy and something I'd never even conceived of doing – especially in front of a crowd of overzealous humans. Adding Bella into it, though, made my chest swell with pride, my love for her grow, and my soul feel even more connected to her.

She gave me a quick nod, but I took her in just for a split second. Tight, faded jeans, knee-high black boots, a form-fitting white T-shirt, and a short black leather jacket made her look so very sexy, so very beautiful. Every curve was highlighted, and her hair fell down around her shoulders.

She didn't think she had talent, but she did. And she was going to floor the men in the audience…and some of the women, too, if I was reading them correctly. Her sweet, innocent face gave them the impression of a young girl, but her voice… Her voice was going to blow them away.

I shot her a wink, starting the song that she had agonized over more than the others we'd played tonight. And only I knew the reason behind her choice. Bella had picked "Alone" by Heart because it reminded her of when we first met – the tentativeness, the nerves, the want that we couldn't express. So with a small, secretive smile, I watched her as I played.

For the first few lines of the song, it was just Bella and me. Piano and voice. And the second she opened her mouth, the crowd was in awe. It was a moment of complete and utter silence – both audibly and mentally. All that changed when drums and guitars entered the picture. Bella's voice rang out solid and stunning, bringing the crowd to their feet as Kevin sang harmony with her.

She pulled the mic from the stand, walking from one end of the stage to the other and carefully avoiding the edge like she'd been warned, though I was pretty sure she was safe.

_Til now, I always got by on my own.  
I never really cared until I met you.  
And now it chills me to the bone.  
How do I get you alone?  
How do I get you alone?_

She walked to me, still facing the crowd as the song quieted again. It was just the two of us, and my eyes never left deep, soulful brown as she sang. For me. Her forehead pressed to mine as she sang, her mind teasing and sweet.

_You don't know how long I've wanted  
To touch your lips and hold you tight.  
You don't know how long I've waited  
And I was gonna tell you tonight.  
But the secret is still my own,  
And my love for you is still unknown.  
Alone_

I smirked when she backed away, placing her hand over her heart as she sang about secrets. She shot me a wink, and I grinned, shaking my head as she turned her attention back to the crowd and Jasper's guitar solo. She leaned with him and Kevin as they finished out the song, her voice holding the notes with strength and perfection. The last piano notes fell away, and suddenly, the place went crazy.

_Told you they'd love her_, Jasper's laughing thoughts hit me as we stood and bowed, though his hand was placed protectively on her shoulder because the crowd was pushing toward the stage.

Different thoughts hit me all at once, but those of my family were the strongest. Carlisle and Esme were proud and happy. Rose, Alice, and Adrian were in a quiet yet heated discussion on whether this was the best open mic night we'd ever done, and Emmett and Jasper were really ecstatic about how the addition of Kevin – and Bella, for that matter – made us sound so much better.

But my sweet, sweet girl was just glad it was over. With that last thought, I laughed, taking her hand and raising it above her head to allow the crowd to cheer some more, but then led us all off the stage.

Dwayne was waiting for us when we stepped through the curtain, his large, hairy arms folded across his chest. His thoughts were good for the most part, though he couldn't help but to give Bella a long, slow, appraising look. In his mind, she might've been young, but she was "easy on the eyes." I sighed because in all reality, I had to give him that one. But as Bella leaned back into me, wrapping my arms around her waist from behind, he saw who she wanted. In fact, he'd known it as he watched us on stage. And that made me smile and kiss the back of her head.

"Not bad, kids," he praised gruffly with a single nod of his head.

"Thank you, sir," I said, giving him a small smile.

He thought we were good kids, having spoken with Carlisle during the show. He liked that we weren't loud, obnoxious teenagers, like he was used to seeing, even though we made him slightly uncomfortable. And he thought we had tons of talent. In fact, he was seeing dollar signs at the sight of us. He knew word would get around about us, bringing him more business.

"Can you do it again? You got more songs than that?" he asked, looking between us all.

Jasper laughed softly. "Yes, sir, but we only do this every once in a while. It's not a full-time thing for us."

"I get it. School and shit," he said with a chuckle, waving a hand at us. "Well, call me when you want to come back. The stage is yours."

"Thanks, dude," Emmett told him, watching Dwayne leave us to pack up.

Once he was gone, I spun Bella to face me. "Amazing job, baby," I told her. "Just…perfect!"

I grinned when my shy girl came flying to the surface. Had she still been human, her cheeks would've flushed a brilliant pink as she looked away from me when our brothers chimed in with their own praises.

Tilting her face back up to mine with my fingers under her chin, I asked, "Do you want to watch the last band?"

She smiled. "Yeah," she said softly. "I'll help you guys pack up first."

"Okay, sweet girl," I whispered, kissing her lips softly.

She helped Emmett pack up his drum kit and store it in the back of the Volvo. Jasper, Kevin, and I slid the guitar cases in along with it, and we made our way back into the bar. We were met with cheers and offers to buy us drinks, until Dwayne's heavy voice boomed from behind the bar.

"They're underage, dammit!" he yelled, grinning at some of his regulars. "Leave them be!"

Bella chuckled, giving him a last glance before taking her seat on my lap. She took the praise from the rest of the family, though she couldn't say whether or not the girls and Adrian were right. She wasn't sure what her favorite open mic night was.

The next band was good. They were led by a woman with a strong voice as they sang some original songs as well as a few covers. The band was pretty close to Joan Jett – if I had to compare them to anyone – but the lead singer had a trained voice. The crowd seemed to like them, having seen them plenty of times.

Mentally smiling when the piano player noted that the piano was now tuned, I suddenly froze when she started a song that I hadn't heard in quite some time. Memories flashed to the surface of my mind, but they weren't just mine; they were my Bella's and the family's, as well.

It had been several years since I'd actually listened to "My Immortal" by Evanescence – the last time being when my sweet girl was still human and still healing from our time apart. I physically flinched when the singer started to sing, because the words seemed to describe the pain and heartache that Bella had gone through in the two years I was gone to absolute perfection. The mental worry surrounding us swirled away so that I was only left with the comfort of Bella's mind.

"Should we go?" I whispered to her, nuzzling her cheek with my nose.

Instead of answering me vocally, she used her mind to maintain our privacy.

_No, Edward. I'm okay. It doesn't…hurt anymore. You know that, right?_ She turned just a little in my lap so that she could see my face. Small fingers toyed with my wedding ring as she continued to think to me. _Listen, my sweet man…these are the words you really need to hear._

_These wounds won't seem to heal,  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that time cannot erase.  
When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of you fears  
And I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have  
All of me_

My chest hurt with what she was trying to tell me – that she was mine even when I hadn't completely wrapped my stubborn head around it. She was mine when it hurt, when I'd rejected it all, and when I'd walked right back into her life. Nothing could've change it – pain, time, distance, stubborn and selfish decisions, and even mistrust that I'd just walk away again.

And now… Now, she was telling me that a mere song couldn't touch what we had, that the happiness she reveled in daily overshadowed every bit of those two very hard years.

"Bella," I barely breathed, looking longingly at the side door of the bar.

I wanted out, I wanted away, and I wanted to breathe in deeply only the scent of her, not the smell of humans and leather and stale beer. The memory of holding Bella the last time we'd heard this song in public was too much. Her heavy tears, her hiccupping sobs, and her strong grip of my shirt – it was all right there.

She kept me shielded from everyone as she simply nodded and said, "Okay," when she slipped down from my lap.

Plans to meet up later were quickly discussed around me, but I paid no attention; my eyes were glued to the exit. Bella linked her fingers with mine, tugging me through the bar, out the door, and down the street. Night had completely fallen, and the neighborhood was quiet except for a few cheers coming from the building we'd just left.

She found a small children's park, leading me to the far corner, where a bench was hidden in shadows. No streetlamp's beam reached it. She pushed me down gently, crawling into my lap.

"Edward? Look at me." Cupping either side of my face, she smiled softly when I finally did as she asked. "New rule. That song's forbidden."

I shook my head but didn't say anything for a moment. It wasn't the song, really. It was the memories attached to it, I was pretty sure. It was the realization of just what my leaving had truly done to her – to us both. I merely gripped her jacket and pulled her closer, which she allowed without a word.

I swallowed nervously before asking, "It doesn't bother you anymore?"

"Nah," she scoffed, still grinning like the sweetest of visions.

My smile couldn't be helped when she showed me why. Her memory of that night was different than my own. She remembered it being the first time she'd gone out with the whole family. It was the first time that she'd ever felt like she truly belonged with us…with _me_, but mostly, she remembered winning at pool and my brothers and I having to sing karaoke.

Her giggle broke through her lips as her fuzzy human memory of Jasper, Emmett, and me singing "Bad Medicine" by Bon Jovi came to the forefront of her mind. Even funnier was when we'd point to Carlisle just to embarrass him when we sang the part about a doctor.

A laugh that I wasn't expecting barked out of me. "Yeah," I said with a chuckle and a slow nod. "That was fun. And that was a helluva game of pool, sweet girl."

"Thank you, thank you," she said haughtily, brushing the hair from my forehead before placing a long, slow kiss there.

I took advantage of her close proximity, turning my head just enough to inhale the scent of her. The skin of her throat was like silk, smelling like flowers and fruit and me. The latter part made me smile because I tended to mark her as mine multiple times a day – a kiss, a nuzzle, even just a brush of my nose...it all stayed with her, and I honestly couldn't help it.

Opening my mouth to her neck, I tasted her, which was probably a mistake, given where we were. The sweet sound I lived to hear pushed out against my ear. It was such a longing, hopeful sound from her that I couldn't help but pull back to gaze up at her.

"We've come a long way, haven't we, baby?" I asked her softly, brushing my lips across hers.

"I love you," she simply replied, smiling a little. "That hasn't changed."

"Good," I whispered, giving in to kissing her fully and grateful that she'd always love me, that our immortality cemented that love in stone.

Hands gripped and caressed – over clothes and under. Lips swept languidly over lips, and tongues tasted, claimed. If anyone could see us, I had no idea, but they'd merely see a young couple making out on a dark park bench. Cupping her ass, I squeezed, my eyes rolling back when it caused her hips to roll heavily against me.

"Baby, I can't hear if someone's coming," I told her, practically shaking with my need for her.

She giggled, pressing her forehead to mine. "That just means that we could get caught, Edward."

"No, I don't think so, my sexy girl," I chided with a short laugh. "I'm not risking anyone seeing you. Not here."

"Fine," she huffed with a smirk getting up from my lap, and my dick throbbed in protest. "Then I'll take care of you."

She tugged me up, positioned me on the other side of the bench, and sank to her knees, her shield pinning me there. Before I could tell her to stop, my fly was undone, and her tongue rendered me absolutely useless.

"Oh, Christ," I hissed, my head falling back as hands and lips and tongue started their magic.

I wouldn't last long. That was a fact. I could hear no minds but hers, and she was determined to make me come, and come hard.

"I don't think—" I started, but my head fell back when she took me completely into her mouth, a low, rumbling growl erupting from me.

"So don't think, baby," she purred, licking around the tip, only to sink right back down over me.

She was right about one thing. The idea that we could be caught at any time added to the lust that was swirling around us. The crackling spark that stayed between us only kicked up that much more because I couldn't monitor our surroundings. I had to rely on her, trust her to pay attention.

I knew if I looked down at her, I'd be done. Shattered. There was something so innocent about the way those deep brown eyes gazed up at me while her mouth did not-so-innocent things to my cock. It was love and lust and heat, but it was pure enjoyment over watching me fall apart. It was heady – something I knew from experience – to have the control, the power to cause your mate to lose all coherent thought. Not to mention swear in several different languages, which was what I was doing.

I looked anyway, locking with eyes that were fathomless in depth and love, and hissing curses I couldn't stop came flying out of my mouth as I came hard down her throat. Before she could completely stand up, I had her pinned to the fence behind her.

"I meant what I said, love," I purred, kissing her briefly just to taste myself on her tongue. "I'm not exposing you here."

"Then I guess you'll just have to owe me one, Mr. Cullen," she growled back, wearing a smug smile. It was familiar and not unlike my own that I'd flashed at her a million times. "Right?" she verified, raising a sexy eyebrow up at me.

"Mmm, yes, ma'am," I whispered against her lips. "But lift that shield, love. I need to hear again."

She nodded, wrapping her arms around my neck when I flinched at the rush of minds that hit me, our family included. They were close by, but Alice was keeping them at bay.

I looked back to Bella, lifting her up into my arms. "We should go. We have to get back."

"'Kay," she said, smiling against my cheek. "Tonight was fun. Thank you for suggesting it. It's been too long."

Flipping her around so that I was carrying her bridal-style, I kissed the tip of her nose. "It has. We won't wait so long next time. I promise, my beautiful girl," I vowed, smiling when she nodded happily as I toted her across the park to catch up with the rest of the family.

It was time to go home.

* * *

**A/N... Heehee... Open Mic Night! There's a part of me that knows that using music and lyrics is an excuse to stretch out a chapter. It's a cop-out on some occasions...and it may have been when I first started this series, but now... Now, it just fits. ;) So the following songs will be added to the playlist by my angel in disguise, JenRar:**

"**Enter Sandman" by Metallica**

"**More Than a Feeling" by Boston**

"**Alone" by Heart**

"**My Immortal" (radio version) by Evanescence**

**Since I'm posting on a Sunday, that means that Chapter 7 is done...and it's a doozy. Just trust me. We'll see what the cameras caught, and then there's...Demitri. Sigh...I've missed him. ;) So I'll see you guys Wednesday. Until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N... I'm glad you guys liked Open Mic Night. :) Those are always fun and a little hard to write. I have to listen to the songs over and over. O_o**

**Okay, so this chapter will change everything. Those of you betting on this, well...it's time to ante up. And there's a lemon warning in this, so just... You know what? You guys don't heed the warnings... LOL However, there is a cliffie warning in this, as well, just FYI.**

**Now, strap in, hold on, and off we go...**

* * *

Chapter 7

**BELLA**

The long ride home from New Brunswick was torture. I was ravenous for my husband, but then, I always was after an open mic night. The fooling around that we'd done in the park near the bar wasn't enough. I was wound tight like a spring, and I had to shield my thoughts and my emotions in the car, or the whole family would've been in trouble.

I wanted to be home. Immediately. I wanted to climb Edward like he was an unexplored mountain. I wanted to crawl into his lap and kiss him stupid, despite the fact that he was driving. He was good at multitasking, but it was quite possible he'd wreck. I wanted us buried deep under the covers of our bed with nothing between us. But the reality of the situation was that I couldn't. We had to get home to beat the sun and to check the cameras that we'd left recording all night.

A gentle hand landed on my thigh, and I instantly picked it up, playing with long, slender, talented fingers as I continued to gaze, unseeing, out the window because I couldn't look at him. He knew. He could read me like no one else, even without my thoughts available to him. My fidgeting in the passenger seat, my teeth gnawing on my bottom lip, and my eyes, which had to have been black as pitch, were all right there.

Those same fingers extricated themselves from my relentless grip, only to reach for my chin to turn my head. I closed my eyes, swallowing thickly back the venom that pooled in my mouth. When I finally opened them, my gaze met warm, sympathetic, and sweet. Edward said nothing, but simply caressed my face with the backs of his fingers, his thumb gliding underneath my eye. Yeah, the brown must have been completely gone, and that was his way of telling me without alerting my…condition to Alice and Jasper, who were riding in the back seat – though they probably knew. I was just grateful that Emmett and Kevin were in the car behind us because they wouldn't have just ignored it.

I watched perfect lips mouth the words, "I love you," to me, and it was all I could do to stay in my seat. Not trusting myself, I nodded and turned back toward the window to watch as Maine flew by. My still heart was being tugged toward the man driving, and there wasn't a thing I could do about it.

"Yes," Alice broke the silence of the car, answering someone's unasked question. "We do capture something on video."

That seemed to knock my lust down a notch or two, so I turned to glance around the car. It was Edward that was nodding.

"But you can't see what it is?" he verified whatever she was showing him.

"Not clearly. See?"

Jasper and I sighed, rolling our eyes, because these half-assed conversations were lost to us. Our obvious frustration amused Alice and Edward, but at least Alice tried to explain.

"I can only see our reaction to something on the screens, not what we're actually seeing," she said, shrugging a shoulder. "We seemed to be surprised, but at least that's something. I've been forcing these visions all night, and that's the only thing I've been able to decipher."

Edward turned into our driveway and parked the car, but he stopped me when I started to get out. He waited until everyone had made it inside before speaking.

"Look at me, sweet girl," he purred with a voice that was smooth, rich, warm...which wasn't helping my situation. At all.

A sound escaped me when I looked into his beautiful face – a whimper mixed with a growl. My thoughts were still shielded because the things I wanted to do to him would've driven him crazy. I knew better than to bombard him with my mental wishes when there was so much we had to do before we'd get to be alone.

"Bella-love, let me help you," he begged, trying to pull me to his lap, but I fought him.

"Edward, don't," I told him weakly in a whisper, shaking my head profusely. "I won't… If you touch me… I won't stop!" I hissed, begging him with my eyes to understand.

Edward gripped the steering wheel instead, his face a mixture of frustration and sorrow as he stared at the house. He wanted to help, felt it was his duty as my mate, my husband, but he knew I was right. He turned back to me and reached for my face.

Slipping his fingers up my cheek and into my hair, he brought his forehead to mine. "I need to see what you're thinking, Bella. I need to know when this…_moment_ of yours becomes too much for you."

"You don't know what you're asking," I said with a humorless chuckle.

"Yeah?" He huffed a laugh, but the sexy crooked grin told me he was more than curious. "That bad, my sexy girl?"

"Oh," I groaned, my brow wrinkling as I shook my head slowly. "Edward, you really have no idea."

He broke out into a wide, beautiful grin, but he fought it like a champ. "Can you get through this? We're merely going to scan through the video."

"And if we find something on said video, it'll take longer. I know, baby. I just have to force it back. Maybe I need Jasper's help," I sighed, looking forlornly at the house and gesturing to the door when said brother stepped out onto the porch.

"Alice told him to come outside," Edward explained. He stepped out of the car and was instantly at my door.

I slid down from my seat to see Jasper approaching.

"You have to lift your shield, baby girl," he said with a chuckle, and when I did, he stumbled back a step or two. "Damn, okay…" He laughed once but stopped when Edward growled low.

I sighed in relief when he hit me with a combination of a few different emotions. I felt calmer, comforted, and then I felt like he'd dowsed me with a bucket of ice water when he pushed back my lust a bit with a touch of humor. Finally, curiosity wove its way into my thoughts, and that made me nod to him once.

"Thanks," I said, giving Edward a quick glance. My moment was still in full swing, but at least I was able to think about something other than how tight my husband's T-shirt was, or how badly I needed to sink my fingers into his unruly hair and kiss him into oblivion.

"Come on," Jasper said with a chuckle. "You're just lucky they think the two of you are upset over that last song at the bar."

"Now…my turn," Edward told me, his face serious but so very sweet, and I noticed he kept his touches to a minimum. "I want to hear you, love. I'm not kidding. The very minute it becomes too much, I want to know. Okay?"

Swallowing thickly, I nodded and let my thoughts through. He studied my face as he listened to my inner struggle. His brow furrowed, but he nodded, dropping a heavy kiss to my forehead. For a split second, I wondered if the rest of our family experienced these "moments" like we did.

"No, ma'am," he answered as he led me into the house. "Nothing like them. At all. They are…ours," he explained, raising an eyebrow at me.

_So Jasper just thinks I'm…_ I thought, but didn't know how to finish because the word "horny" sounded trite and trivial.

"Yes," Edward said with a laugh. "That's it. Just…yeah." He leaned down to my ear, whispering, "And _that_ is perfectly normal, my beautiful girl."

I couldn't help but giggle, and that improved my mood significantly as we joined the rest of the family, who were standing behind Emmett.

Jasper slid gracefully into a chair in front of his own computer. Emmett was already hard at work on mine. They stopped and started the recordings from the beginning, going through each camera's view individually.

Nothing moved for a few hours after we'd locked up and left, it seemed. It wasn't until Jasper was going through the video of the stairs and Emmett was going through the video of the library that things got…strange. Flashes of little white boxes flickered on Jasper's screen, but we all froze when the library's door opened on its own.

"Fuck me," Emmett barely breathed, rewinding, zooming in, and pausing.

We were all so engrossed in what we were watching that Esme didn't even bother to chastise him for his language.

The timestamp on the screen showed around ten o'clock, which would've put us on stage in New Brunswick. No one seemed to breathe as Emmett replayed it, this time going slower.

The library door opened and stayed open for the next few minutes. No movement was caught again until we glanced over at the stairs on Jasper's screen. A flash of white and one single white box blipped, and a few minutes later, it happened again. Jasper paused it, trying to catch that brief flicker, but it merely came up as a blur, no matter how many times he stopped it, rewound it, and paused it again.

My brothers locked gazes for a split second but suddenly went to work – vampire style. They flew through video from each camera, stopping all of them when they reached around the same time.

"Okay, wait," Edward stated, stepping forward to stand behind his brothers. "Splice it, and then start from the library. Watch…" He pointed to the screen. "The library door opens at ten-thirteen…the flash in the stairs at ten-fourteen. Then watch…"

We collectively stepped closer, and I rested my cheek on Edward's upper arm as I took in what he was trying to show us. Movement occurred all over the house – all after the library door opened. Curtains moved, vases shifted, and more doors opened – one being the basement door in the kitchen. Finally, one of the outside cellar doors flew back to the side. We could see it from both directions – inside the basement and the view from outside. Another flash of grayish-white showed up, a few more white boxes, and finally, things became really still for a bit.

The timers flew through a few hours without a single thing, until a lynx trotted by on the outskirts of the outside video. It sniffed around a few nearby bushes near the open cellar door and then crouched low in a defensive manner with ears laid back and fur raised up in a fierce line along its back. It backed up a few paces, hissed long and forceful, and quickly bolted from the scene. But we all jumped when the cellar door slammed shut, then basement door in the kitchen closed, and then finally, the library door closed. Not long after that, the cameras caught all ten of us traipsing into the house.

We were quiet for a moment, but it was Rose that broke the silence. "That blurry thing… Umm, what in the blue hell is that?" she asked, glancing around the room, but her eyes landed on Carlisle, who was rubbing his chin in thought.

"I'm gonna splice it all together. Hang tight," Jasper stated, clicking furiously on the mouse. "The timeline is easy to follow," he murmured.

While he did that, Emmett picked apart a few frames of one of the grayish-white blurs. He clicked through it tiny bits at a time until what looked like it could be a face was in the center of the computer screen.

"It looks like…a ghost, but then…" he rambled, tilting his head from left to right because the more he zoomed in, the blurrier it became. "But then…it doesn't. It looks like…a skeleton."

Carlisle's phone broke the eerie moment, causing ten vampires to just about jump clean out of their skin.

"Jesus Christ almighty," Kevin gushed, pressing a hand over where his heart was. "This _Friday the 13th_ shit is for the birds. Should we go over the rules for surviving a horror movie like they did in _Scream_?"

I snorted into a giggle, muffling it into Edward's shirt sleeve. "Don't drink or do drugs," I said with a laugh.

"Never say, 'I'll be right back,'" Kevin added with a grin.

"And never, ever have sex," Emmett piped in with a guffawing laugh. "Well, that means this entire house is doomed."

The whole lot of us cracked the hell up, and I was totally grateful to Emmett and Kevin for cutting the tension a little.

Carlisle sighed, fighting his smile as he finally answered his phone. "Hello, Demitri."

"Hey, Demitri," every woman and Kevin sang loudly, because God, we loved to make him smile.

I scoffed, waving a hand at them all. "It's not as fun if he's not here," I said, grinning as the boys growled low and Carlisle walked away, though we could all hear Demitri's amused laughter ring through the phone.

"Yeah..." Rose chuckled, nodding. "He lives for it, you know."

"It's too bad he can't blush," Alice added with a giggle. "Lord knows, we've come as close to causing one as we possibly could."

"Sweet eye-candy!" Kevin whispered dramatically, grinning when Esme, Alice, Rose, and I all nodded in agreement, even Adrian chuckled a little.

Emmett, Jasper, and Edward all rolled their eyes but ignored our teases as they studied the videos. What had started as a joke from the beginning was now almost a tradition. Our spouses knew we were joking, and poor Demitri ate up the attention. As Carlisle spoke to our good friend of his impending visit, Adrian finally leaned into say something to Esme.

"Should we…I don't know…go check everywhere those blurry things were?" he asked her softly.

Edward cast a glance over to Carlisle, who nodded curtly, and then he said, "Yes. Check for scents and for anything missing. I'll take the outside and cellar doors. I want to track that lynx."

With a sigh of want I couldn't help, I peeled myself off Edward's arm and made my way toward the library. I shook my head to clear it of my husband's fierce face, his commanding tone, and his strong arm as he designated who needed to go where. It was the simplest shit that made me want him, and Jasper's influence had officially worn off because he was concentrating on the computer in front of him. And Edward heard it all in my mind just before I shielded my emotions from Jasper.

"Bella?" Edward called, but I didn't answer him aloud.

_Just ignore me, baby_, I thought with a wry smirk, still continuing to walk away. I heard him scoff behind me. _Okay, so you don't know how to ignore me, but just hurry. Is that better?_

He chuckled softly from somewhere in the back of the house, saying, "Yes, ma'am."

The library was in the same disarray as when we'd left it the night before from packing up Emmett's drums and the boys going through which guitars they wanted to take. There was no change in scent, except maybe that the smell that we now associated with the cellar was a little stronger.

I turned to Carlisle when he entered the room behind me, still on the phone. Gesturing to the bookcase door, I silently asked him if I should open it. He held up one finger for me to wait as he continued his conversation.

"No, Demitri," he said softly. "We haven't heard from Bella's father as of yet, but he promised that he'd look into the very last owners of this house. They're the only living ones left."

"I'm with Marcus on this one, Carlisle," I could hear Demitri say. "Knowing Bella's shield and how Edward's talent works, I'm thinking this is something physical. Perhaps it's something we've never seen before?" he suggested in the form of a question.

"Tell D I'm sending him this spliced video. He can check it out himself," Emmett called from the other room.

"Excellent," Demitri replied. "Catherine and Brandon have agreed to join us, and we've already left Colorado. I can't see us taking more than a day to get to you. We'll drive all night, and no one needs to hunt."

"Thank you," Carlisle sighed. "I can't imagine you'll find any more than we have, but we appreciate you trying."

"You know I don't mind," Demitri said with a chuckle. "Besides, I've missed the family. Carina and I talk about you guys daily."

"And they miss you." Carlisle laughed softly. "We'll see you soon." Once he'd pocketed his phone, he met my gaze. "I didn't want you in there alone, sweetheart. Ready?"

I nodded, finding the latch on the top shelf that Kevin and Jasper had discovered the night we'd uncovered Varner's hidden workshop. With a brief click, the door popped open a little, and Carlisle pulled it away from the wall. My nose wrinkled and my growl was low as the scent washed over me. A small staircase descended into the workshop and into shadow.

"Shield us, Bella," Carlisle stated, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I did as he asked, and we went down below. Again, nothing seemed different as I glanced over the wreckage that covered the floor. All was quiet until I hit the bottom step. My shield jerked away from where I'd been holding it around Carlisle and myself, and I hissed, gripping his shoulder in order to maintain my stance.

"Bella?" Carlisle asked worriedly.

I shook my head because I couldn't talk and pull back my shield as it reached, searched, and stretched away from me on its own accord. It felt like it was pulling me down the tunnel that aimed toward the garage. It gave a swift tug, and I fell to my knees. It felt like a good presence, but I had no desire to go to it. I didn't want to, and that seemed to conflict with my talent's desire.

"Bella," Edward called to me, but immediately, he was on his knees in front of me.

"It's pulling me," I whispered through gritted teeth.

"Baby, let me in," he begged, but I shook my head.

The only one that could touch me was Carlisle because he was already under the protection of my shield. I couldn't force it one way or another; it was enough that I was stopping the pull.

"Pick her up, Carlisle," he begged. "Get her up to the library."

I found myself scooped up and instantly deposited onto the sofa. The pull and my shield relaxed as soon as the bookcase door clicked shut. I fell back to the pillows with a sigh of relief.

"Let me see you," Edward stated, kneeling next to me as his gentle fingers touched my face, brushed my hair back from my forehead, and tilted my chin his way. "Look at me, sweet girl."

I opened my eyes to see both Edward and Carlisle next to me. The rest of the family was behind them, looking on with concerned faces. But it was Jasper's face that made me sit up quickly.

"If I felt it, you two did, too. Didn't you?" I asked him and Edward, glancing between them.

When they both nodded, Carlisle asked, "What did you hear, son?"

"'Get out.' Over and over, like it was screaming," Edward said softly, but his eyes never left mine. "Then it started begging. 'Please, please, please…don't.' Jasper just about collapsed under the fear."

I looked to Jasper, and he nodded as he said, "There wasn't enough time for me to counter it. I couldn't calm myself, much less whatever that is."

"Fair enough," Carlisle stated with a single nod to his head. "Demitri will most likely be here by tomorrow, and maybe he'll have some insight on the video we sent him."

Edward scooped me into his arms, cradling me against his chest. With the face he was wearing, no one even dared asked him where we were going. As far as my husband was concerned, we were done for now. The only one that dared stop us was Alice.

"I was wrong," she whispered, glancing between me and Edward. "Your shield…it touched something. It's not a ghost. It can't be, not if I can see it."

"What is it, Alice?" Edward snapped, looking at me when I placed a hand on his face to calm him. I knew he was worried about me, but he didn't need to be. "Sorry," he said contritely, turning to Alice again. "Sorry, Alice. Can you show me?"

"There's nothing to see," she said, grimacing. "But whatever it is has made a decision to stay hidden."

Edward's nostrils flared. "Nothing…just blank space. But in order to make a decision…"

"It must have a mind," Carlisle finished for them, nodding when we all turned to him. He took a deep breath, letting it out as he gazed around at all of us. "Enough for tonight. Take a break from it all. And no one go near that damned basement," he ordered, jerking a thumb over his shoulder. "We won't open it again until Demitri gets here."

Edward nodded, pressing his lips to my temple. "Yes, sir," he murmured. "Come, love. We'll go upstairs." He didn't say another word until we reached our room, where he deposited me gently onto our bed. He pointed a finger at me, saying, "Don't move from that spot."

My eyebrows shot up at the order, but I did as he asked, scooting up to the center of our bed. His face clearly showed his patience had run completely out – either with the house or with the night itself, I wasn't quite sure. Probably both. My eyes never left his stalking form as he went around the room. He locked the door, kicked out of his sneakers, lit candles, and rummaged around in the dresser drawer, finally pulling out something I hadn't seen since New York: our bedroom iPod.

"I added to it," I confessed softly, biting my lip when he shot a crooked smile my way.

"So did I," he said with a chuckle, and it was a sweet sound, though his eyes were still carrying the stress of the day. "Now let's see who won…"

I smirked, knowing it was most likely him and loving that some things never changed. They merely just got pushed back every now and then. The iPod that he was currently attaching to our stereo was the exact same iPod that I'd had when he'd returned to me. It was something he'd steal, create the most beautiful playlists, only to hand it back to me. Now it stayed in our bedroom, and we'd add songs to it when the other wasn't looking. We used it to drown out family, say things that only music could say, and make each other laugh with whoever got to it last. It was something that was ours and ours alone, and that was the message he was sending me now. He was taking back "our time."

Edward walked to the bed once the music started. It was "Give Me Love" by Ed Sheeran, so it was acoustic guitars, stringed instruments, and a soulful voice singing about just wanting to hold the one he loved that filled the room.

"I won," he whispered, bracing a knee on the edge of the mattress and reaching for my foot.

"You did," I agreed, letting him drag me closer in order to tug off my boots and socks before dropping them to the floor. "How many?" I asked in order to distract myself with just how sexy he was still in his dark jeans and T-shirt from open mic night.

"Just one," he replied quietly, shrugging one shoulder as he sat down in front of me. He reached for my face, and I leaned into his hand as his brow furrowed. "Are you okay?"

I nodded vehemently, finally giving into the desire to touch him by crawling into his lap. He welcomed me with strong arms and a deep sigh that pushed out against my cheek as he hugged me tightly. When the scent of sunshine, honey, and linen assaulted my senses directly from the source, my "moment" returned full force…and then some. His gentle caresses to my back and fingers through my hair, his deep hum of approval when I straddled his thighs, and his warm gaze as he held my face so that he could simply look at me – all those things just wrecked me.

I knew he wanted to talk about what happened with Carlisle down in the workshop, but I simply didn't have it in me at the moment.

"I can't…fight it, Edward," I barely breathed, pressing my forehead against his and squeezing my eyes closed. My fingers gripped the shoulders of his shirt as I fought with the last bit of restraint I possessed. The brief brush of his lips across mine set fire to my soul.

"It's okay, my sweet, beautiful girl. You don't have to fight it now," he crooned softly against my lips, his voice laced with understanding and comfort. "Tell me what you need, love. It's yours."

My body trembled, and I let out a rush of air as I finally begged him for what I wanted. "Kiss me. And don't stop…"

Sitting up on my knees, I leaned over him as he did exactly as I asked. He kissed me with a gentle, languid kiss, trying to slow me down, and I let him. He knew what I needed; it was the same thing he needed when he was lost to this feeling. I needed to be touched, kissed, and held closely. In fact, the closer, the better.

Edward's hands held my waist, but they glided up my sides to the inside of my jacket, which he pushed off my shoulders. I let go of him just long enough to shirk out of it, only to reach for his face again, slipping my fingers up into his hair to secure him to me. Firm hands cupped my bottom, giving it a squeeze over the outside of my jeans, tongues danced, swirled, tasted as I loomed over him, and finally, I had the wherewithal to grasp the bottom of his T-shirt.

"Skin," I whispered against his lips. "Now."

He smirked sexily as he licked his lips, pulling back just enough to reach behind him to grasp the material and then wrenching it over his head. Before I could fall back into him, he reached for the hem of my own shirt, gathering it up and tugging it off. I pushed at him until he fell back with his head at the foot of the bed, his fingers meticulously working at the clasp of my bra to quickly remove it. Then he went to work on the button and zipper of my jeans. He loosened them just enough so his hands could slip into the back to really grip my ass, grinding me down over him.

The song changed on the player, and we both paused briefly, our breathing ragged, even though we didn't really need the air. The sweet, talented piano playing of Alicia Keys started, the sound of "If I Ain't Got You" drowning out the rest of the family. We weren't alone, but I didn't care about them. I couldn't focus on the fact that our lust was most likely being forced upon everyone else through Jasper. I could only focus on the man beneath me – skin, muscles, flexing biceps. Wrapping my hand around the latter, I squeezed against the firm, tight bulges, pinning him to the bed.

My hair created a curtain around our faces as Edward stayed quiet. He could hear every thought I was having, and most were almost obscene in need. He cracked a quick smile, his fingers delving deeper into my jeans to find out just how needy I was.

"Jesus, Bella," he whispered, locking gazes with me – black to black. "Sweet girl, let me help you…"

I couldn't answer him aloud. Most likely, it would've come out as a string of nonsensical words, not making a bit of sense to either of us. I knew I was wet and swollen and aching, but it was easier to let my mind guide him because more than the physical ache, my heart yearned for him. So with that thought, our jeans shredded and my underwear was destroyed, all while I sat astride his stomach.

"Come here," he whispered, guiding me up his torso until my knees were planted on either side of his head. My fingers traced his bottom lip as he said, "I love you, my Bella. This'll help, I swear…"

His mouth met my heated center without preamble – tongue, lips, teeth, all working to help at least bring my frantic feelings down a notch or two. My head fell back as the chorus of the song really said more than I was able at the moment because it sang the absolute and utter truth.

_Some people want it all_

_But I don't want nothing at all_

_If it ain't you baby_

_If I ain't got you baby_

_Some people want diamond rings_

_Some just want everything_

_But everything means nothing_

_If I ain't got you, yeah_

Edward worked thoroughly and quickly to bring me to the peak of ecstasy. He let me ride his face, grip his hair, and cry out his name, all of which earned me the most glorious of growls against my core. Edward let me take, and that was exactly what I needed. But he gripped and kissed and suckled until I thought I'd go mad. My insides wound tighter and tighter until my thighs were practically crushing his poor head, but when the coil finally snapped, my voice rang out with his name being the only thing I could articulate. And I felt bad for being so loud, but it couldn't be helped.

Before I had a chance to calm down, I found myself planted at the head of the bed, my husband bracing himself over me.

"Loud…is _good_, baby," he praised, licking his lips like he'd just eaten a mountain lion. "I don't care what they hear, love. And you…" He dropped a heavy, deep, toe-curling kiss to my mouth. "You taste infinitely better than a mountain lion."

He kissed me again, and I lost myself to my own flavor and Edward's sweet tongue. I felt I could finally breathe again, or at least see straight, but my moment was far from over. I could feel it in my chest, the grip of my hands as I pulled at his broad, strong back, and the twist of my stomach when his hips pushed forward, gliding his cock through what seemed my never-ending wetness.

Edward lowered himself just a little, allowing a bit more of his weight to lie against me. His cock was hard, heavy as he continued to grind between my folds, but when he slipped just inside my entrance, he stopped.

Holding himself as still as a statue, he gazed down at me, wearing a mixture of emotions all over his face – lust, awe, possessiveness, and sweet, sweet love. My breathing was almost in pants, but at least I could slow down.

The most beautiful of smiles curled at the corners of his mouth. "Good, my love. Now… Now, I can take my time with you…"

With that said, he slipped slowly inside of me, filling me and taking away the ability to think. And just like that, we were lost to each other. The whole world could've ended, and we'd never have known it.

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

"Edward," my love said with the sweetest of giggles as I bopped her with one of the pillows of our bed.

"What?" I let out dark chuckle, tugging the covers of our bed back just long enough to see if the sun had come up. It had, not that I was getting out of bed anytime soon, despite the sounds of the house coming alive. I whirled the covers back over our heads and pulled Bella closer with a firm arm around her waist. "What?" I asked again, smiling at her.

"Nothing," she sighed contentedly, wriggling that much closer as her fingers trailed up and down my spine.

We were face to face on our sides, our touch having not parted all night long. Looking at her now – sated and sweet and happy – made me proud. She'd had a rough moment the night before, and having to stave it off probably hadn't helped matters any. As much as I wanted to ask her what had happened in that cellar the night before, I couldn't bear to bring it up. She was way too cute and cuddly at the moment. But like usual, she knew me better than I knew myself.

"You can ask, you know," she whispered, dropping a kiss to my chin. "It's okay. I can actually think now."

I laughed, running my fingers through thick brunette locks and nuzzling her nose with my own. "I kind of like you incoherent…"

Smiling a sexy-as-hell smile, she rolled her eyes. "I'm sure, and I'm okay. And I wasn't…hurt, if that's what you were thinking."

I sobered quickly and nodded because that was what had concerned me most when I found her on her knees in that workshop. "Okay…so what happened?"

She showed me the memory. Her shield had jerked her so hard that she'd had a difficult time wrenching it back, and because she'd never really fought it like that and she wasn't used to doing the opposite of what it usually called her to do, it had overpowered her. Until we knew more, she didn't feel comfortable with just letting go of her shield. That had been what caused her fall and her loss of control.

What shocked me most was that it was a good pull – powerful, but good. Mentally, she agreed with Jasper's and my assessment that the things we were hearing and feeling were not menacing in any way…just simply scared.

Tracing her beautiful face with the tips of my fingers, I asked, "And you're okay?"

"I'm fine, baby. I promise," she vowed.

I let out a worried sigh that I didn't realize I'd been holding and nodded once before dropping a kiss to her lips. Her strength awed me sometimes, and I fell just that much more in love with her. I always felt the need to protect her, but really, she didn't need it. Not now that she was immortal.

She smiled, rubbing the away the wrinkle between my brow. "What are you thinking about?"

"You, love. Always you." I grinned when she laughed, rolling her eyes. "Okay, I was thinking that you're beautiful and strong and perfect."

"I'm not perfect, Edward," she scoffed, frowning a little. "And you make me feel those other things."

"Good. I'm glad."

Rolling onto my back, I pulled her atop me, but we stayed closed up under the covers of our bed. It was childish to think that it was some sort of bubble of protection, but when we were there, it felt like it – like nothing could touch us.

Bella rested her cheek on my chest as we both just stayed quiet for a few minutes, though the house was in full swing. They left us alone – even their minds were fairly quiet – though most were excited about our friends' arrival.

The silence of our bedroom was pierced with the shrill sound of a police siren. Bella giggled, slung the covers back, scrambled off me, and grabbed her phone off the nightstand.

"Hi, Daddy!" she sang, wearing the most adorable of smiles on her beautiful face.

Propping myself up on one hand, I used the other to brush her hair from her face as Charlie greeted her.

"Hey, Bells," he said with a low chuckle. "How's the house?"

I smirked when Bella scoffed, a rather loud snort escaping her. "Strange as ever."

"O-Okay," he drawled, dragging out the word, but he didn't ask her to elaborate. "The reason I was calling you was to let you know that I found Tim and Caroline Dixon," he stated, and the sound of rustling papers rang through the phone.

That got not only my attention, but everyone else in the house – they were trying to give Bella some sort of privacy, but it was nearly impossible with our hearing. I sat up straight, leaning against pillows and the headboard of our bed.

"I haven't spoken to them yet," he went on to say, "but I wanted to know how you want me to do it? What you wanted me to say?"

I held my hand out for the phone, and Bella nodded, saying, "Hang on, Dad. Edward wants to go over that with you, I think."

I took the phone, saying, "Hello, Charlie."

"Hey, son," he greeted. "Bella says you're having a rough time with this…this house."

I smiled. "It's interesting, that's for sure, especially when we can't locate the source of what I'm hearing. We appreciate you taking the time for this, but can I ask what you've found?"

Charlie grunted a sound that blew off my thanks and went directly into details of the Dixons. "Okay, so Tim Dixon left Caribou ten years ago. From what I can tell, he went straight back to Ohio for about six months, where he stayed with family. He then acquired a new position at a construction company in San Diego. So you guys were right; he did move to the west coast."

"Are they still there?" I asked.

"On the west coast, yes, but he's since transferred to San Francisco," Charlie explained. "Caroline Dixon is now seventeen...almost eighteen. She's attending a small private school and has just entered her senior year. Tim Dixon is a foreman for the company that originally hired him in San Diego. He's doing really well, financially, but for a bit there, he had some problems. He drank a little, received a DUI, and apparently, his family back in Ohio petitioned to take Caroline away from him. It was at that point that he straightened up and started seeing a grief counselor. He finally went to court to declare Lisa Dixon as deceased."

Bella groaned, her face sad at that last statement, but I could understand why Tim needed to move past it all, if only for the sake of Caroline. Tim had something to live for, but if anything ever happened to the beauty currently sitting in all her naked glory on my bed, there would be nothing for me to hold onto. That thought caused me to pull Bella's lips to mine in a brief but silent kiss.

"He never gave up, Edward," Charlie said softly, and the sound of him tapping away on the computer keyboard came over the line. "He checked in with the Caribou authorities just about every week until he moved to California, and then it became less and less. There's a cold case file on her, but no one's touched it in several years."

"There was no evidence," I countered, shrugging a shoulder. "She simply…disappeared."

"Exactly," he agreed. "Now, I have their contact information. I need to know how you want me to approach him. You're there…I'm here. It's not exactly going to make any sense to him."

"I don't know," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I can't exactly ask you to lie, Charlie. It doesn't seem…"

"I know," he said with a laugh. "That's why Anna has offered to do this interview. She's going to say that she's noting the cold case file. You know, updating the information. She's also going to mention that there's someone now living in the house, just to get his reaction. My question is this… Do you want us to email it like we did the Mississippi interviews?"

My eyes shot to Bella, who was already nodding.

"You can, though you're welcome here anytime, Charlie," I told him honestly.

"Maybe after you figure out what's going on in that house, huh?" He laughed once, and I knew him well enough to know that he was shaking his head.

I snorted, but I could understand why he was concerned. "Fair enough, sir."

"Give all my girls my love, and I'll email Bella when we have something," he told me.

"Yes, sir. And tell Anna thank you and good luck," I said, ending the call. I handed Bella back her phone. "What do you think?"

"I think Anna will lie like a rug," she said with a giggle. "And I'm not sure I want to hear what Tim has to say, but I know we need to know."

I nodded in agreement, tilting my head when our largest brother came bounding in from outside. Grinning, I cupped Bella's face, saying, "There is a benefit to this place, it seems. And Emmett has found it."

Her eyebrows shot up high. "Oh yeah, and what's that, handsome?" she asked, leaning forward to kiss my lips.

"We're far enough away from town to mask any…noise. You know, like…_football_," I said, leaning on the last word because my girl loved to play. "And the backyard is big enough…"

"Come on, baby girl!" Emmett boomed from the bottom of the stairs. "Guys against girls…Kev and Adrian are cheerleaders."

"Oh, that's so wrong," Bella groaned, but laughed at the same time with a slow shake to her head.

"Really, neanderthal?" Kevin growled from somewhere downstairs, but I could see him point a finger at Emmett. "Just for that, I'm playing. And I'm on the girls' side!"

I couldn't help but laugh, my head falling back to the pillow behind me. It was amazing just how well Kevin and Adrian had meshed into the family. They no more put up with Emmett's teasing and taunting than the rest of us.

Bella laughed with me, burying it in my neck. "Come on, my cute quarterback," she said with a sexy smirk. "What's on the line?"

I groaned at the mental assault that hit me, shaking my head. It was the most obscene collection of bets I'd heard yet. Everything from streaking in Caribou, to singing on open mic night, to Halloween pranks all came flying at me from nine different directions.

"Girls…and Kevin!" Alice called loudly. "Meeting outside; we'll discuss the terms. Bella, get your ass dressed."

My sweet girl grumped, folding her arms across her chest. "Fine," she sighed, "though I was happy being naked in here…"

Before she could escape the bed, I grabbed her ankle, tugging her back to me. She squeaked and then cracked up laughing.

Pinning her to the mattress, I growled, "Anytime you want to be naked in here, sweet girl… You just say the word."

Her laugh was like music and chimes, her head falling back to the bed. "Yes, Edward…"

~oOo~

**BELLA**

The cool, crisp October air felt good, felt cleansing in comparison to being inside. Brushing off my hands, I walked to the huddle of my fellow teammates, giving my smug-ass husband a scathing look for tackling me. The rule of no talents hadn't seemed fair to me when he could hear every thought we had, so we'd managed a compromise – I would shield thoughts, but tackles I'd have to take like everyone else.

"Love you, sweet girl," he sang, wiggling his long fingers in a wave.

"Mmhm," I grumbled, rolling my eyes. "I got your _love you_ right here." I walked to the gathering of girls and Kevin, still complaining. "He's lucky he's fast. That's all I have to say."

"Come on, Bells," Alice said with a laugh, pulling me in closer. "Shield us because I really want to win this," she gushed. "You have no idea the plans they're coming up with!"

I rolled my eyes but did as she asked. The bet on the table was Halloween. The winners picked it all – every costume, which could be the best of revenge, especially since we were attending some fall festival in town in those said costumes. The problem was that the boys tended to get a little…racy when it came to costumes on their mates.

That thought made me groan aloud and shake my head. "Let me guess… Edward's thinking…mermaid," I sneered, giving my husband a glare.

"How'd you know?!" Alice gasped, glancing between us.

I snickered, shaking my head at a now-laughing Edward. "Because…it only makes sense; after all, mythical creatures seem to be the topic lately."

"Please," Kevin scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You could do _so_ much better than that, Heavy E!" he yelled across the yard. "Fins and scales? Please…"

Edward's eyebrows shot up high, and his mouth fell open.

"Jesus," Rose chortled, shaking her head. "What the hell are you showing him?"

"Possibilities, my Diva. That's all." Kevin blew a kiss to the guys and turned back to the huddle.

"Oh, my sweet Kev," Esme whispered with a soft laugh. "You do keep them on their toes."

"Good. Then give the ball…to me," he grumbled.

We broke away from the huddle and lined up across from our mates, trying our damnedest to ignore the trash talk. The score was tied at forty-five, and fifty would end the game. We had the ball, and we wanted to win. Badly.

Glancing down the line of my team, I waited until Rose was in her quarterback position behind Esme. Kevin was off to the left, I was off to the right, and Alice was taking the runningback spot behind Rose.

"Hail Mary…full of grace," Emmett taunted with a guffawing laugh, thinking he knew we were going for it all.

I grinned, dragging my tongue along my bottom lip and locking eyes with the sexy-as-hell man that was guarding me. Edward's hair was in disarray, his T-shirt was filthy, and his jeans were riding low on his hips as he crouched low in front of me, but his face was a combination of smug and happy, his smile nearly blinding. Getting the ball to Kevin would be brilliant because as of that moment, they all assumed it was going to me.

"Come on, love…you'd look good. You know, seashells," he teased, cupping his hands in front of his chest.

I huffed a laugh. "So…that would make you…what? A pirate?"

His grin was hilarious, but we snapped our attention when Rose called out, "On me! Go!"

I darted toward Edward, only to spin to my right to dodge around him. Rose was easily avoiding Emmett's arms, but it was Esme and Alice that cleared the way for Kevin to run a pattern straight up and to the right. Rose faked the throw to me, which got me tackled, but the ball sailed through the air right into Kevin's hands and our designated endzone.

"That, sir…" I grunted, poking the middle of Edward's forehead. "That could've been pass interference." I smiled at his groan of defeat as he rolled onto his back. "Girls win, handsome," I told him, kissing his cheek and getting up to celebrate with my team.

The scent of sandalwood and leather wafted around me, and I spun around to see four immortals standing on the edge of the backyard.

"Well, if I'd have been here, I'd have put my money on the girls anyway," Demitri said with a chuckle.

"Hey, Demitri," every girl chanted, causing a sweet laugh to bark out of him and an indulgent smile to crawl over Carina's sweet features.

We all moved at that point, welcoming in friends we hadn't seen in months – and with Catherine and Brandon, it had been years. Catherine and Carina were still as beautiful as ever – the former with her sharp features and dark hair, and the latter with her olive-toned skin and her soft eyes. Brandon, who always reminded me a bit of Mike Newton in looks, still carried himself like a human – light brown hair with blond highlights, a wry smile, and a calm demeanor. But it was the tall man on the end that scooped me up into a rough hug that I'd missed the most.

"Demitri," I said with a grin, hugging him hard.

"Ah, little one, I've missed you." He chuckled, swinging me around, only to set me back down again.

Dear Lord, he was handsome, and I loved him as much as my own brothers. Tall and broad-shouldered, he stood before me wearing a happy smile. Long, dark, wavy locks fell almost to his shoulders, his olive complexion still came through, despite his immortality, and his sharp, honey eyes surveyed his surroundings quickly.

"I see why you picked this place, Carlisle," he stated, his Italian accent thick. He shook Carlisle's hand. "It's the perfect location."

Hugs and handshakes were exchanged, and I found myself standing in front of Brandon.

"Bells!" he greeted, hugging me briefly. "Oh…I hear I owe you a big one… Tanya," he whispered the last word to me.

I shook my head, rolling my eyes. "No, she was…not right in the end. And you owe Esme. It was her call then."

His eyebrows shot up, and a laugh escaped him. "Fair enough."

I turned to Catherine, who said, "I'm sorry we didn't come to New York." She hugged me tightly. "He wasn't ready," she whispered, smiling when I nodded. "It's good to see you, Bella. All of you."

"So," Demitri said, clapping his hands together once. "What was the bet on the table? There's always a bet."

Emmett laughed, his head falling back. "Halloween, bro. Now the girls and Kevin have won the right to dress us all."

"Oh…double or nothin'?" Brandon asked, grinning from ear to ear. He rubbed his hands together. "We'll replay for Halloween, and we'll add in…losers eat an entire bag of candy…"

We all groaned, wearing looks of disgust. Candy, while an amazing treat for humans, tended to become glue to us. It was sticky, thick, and caramel was just about the hardest thing to not only get down, but get back up when it was all over. To me, it was the worst thing to fake eating.

"And," he said with a laugh, narrowing his eyes onto me, Edward, Jasper, and Alice, "I'll make it an even playing field: no talents. I'll remove them all."

I grinned, spinning to glare at the mind reader, who mouthed the word, "Mermaid," to me. I snorted into a giggle, rolling my eyes. It was a brilliant plan. If Brandon negated every talent on the field, then everyone would be even – no shielding, no mind reading, no messing with emotions, and absolutely no visions. It would be strength, speed, and brains. That's it.

I turned to Carina and Catherine. "Girls versus guys…"

"Girls and _Kevin_ versus guys," Kevin corrected haughtily.

"I'm in," Carina said with a giggle and a shrug of a shoulder as she nudged Demitri a little.

"Me, too," Catherine chimed in.

Rose spun to face our team. "Really? Again?" she asked and then turned to Emmett. "It's a shame I have to kick your ass twice in one day."

"Oh, ho! Woman, you wish," he grunted back, pointing a finger at her. "It's so on."

We all laughed and made our way to the center of the "field." Brandon took a deep breath, smiled a big smile, and I felt my shield leave my control. Edward shook his head a little, trying to get used to the silence, most likely. Alice, who really didn't know how to deal without her visions, grumbled a little at first. But it was Jasper's deep breath that caused us all to freeze.

"I smell…someone," he whispered, his eyes now sharp as he gazed around.

Breathing deeply, a growl escaped me, and I turned around in one spot. It was immortal, it was strong, and it was really, really close.

"Brandon, you have to lift it from me," Edward ordered. "I need to hear."

My eyes glanced over to the house as Carlisle gave the order to spread out and look around. It was in the tiny little window of the basement that I saw it. A white face, black eyes.

"Shit…inside," I said softly but in a panic. "It's in the house. Basement."

The very second the words were out of my mouth, the whole lot of us ran, but the face evaporated. Carlisle took Demitri, Edward, Jasper, and me into the back cellar doors. Emmett took everyone else around to the front. My husband and Carlisle shoved at the brick doorway, pushing it in and opening it. By the time we were inside Varner's workshop, the rest of our family and friends were pouring down the stairs from the library's entry.

Only Carlisle stayed calm, it seemed. "Everyone stop. Just for a moment…"

Edward's jaw clenched and relaxed, over and over. Demitri paced around the room and then down the passageway that led to the garage. Brandon must have lifted his block on us because suddenly, my shield pulled. It pulled so hard that I stumbled forward two steps. I couldn't fight it, but I felt fear as it searched, tugged, and finally stopped somewhere around the pile of blankets in the corner.

"Bella?" Carlisle and Edward asked, both placing a protective hand on my shoulders.

I swallowed thickly, pointing toward the corner.

"It's immortal," Demitri murmured. "It has to be. This scent down here is…foul. Like old fear. And after seeing that video, I think I know why you've been unable to see it." He glanced around the room. "Brandon, focus your talent where Bella is pointing. I have a theory."

"I have to take Bella's away, too," Brandon replied, but he nodded when we waved him on.

It was almost a relief when the pull suddenly stopped, but it was short-lived because what was once a blank space now…wasn't. Sharp intakes of breaths resounded from everyone around me as we took in a huddled mass of grayish-white. It was wrapped around itself in self-preservation, and now I understood my own shield. It was…harmless.

Edward growled, his hand clawing at his hair. Jasper's reaction wasn't much different, sending waves upon waves of fear out to the rest of us as he leaned against the stone wall. Alice's eyes glazed over, and I was pretty sure she was seeing everything that she'd been unable to see with this person.

I could see that it was a man – or at least, it had been a man at some point – wearing tattered pants. The skin was beyond pale, almost translucent, and it was stretched tightly over visible bones and muscles. The hair might've been dark brown, but he was so filthy that it was impossible to tell.

Jasper grunted low, pushing himself away from the wall, his eyes fierce as he desperately forced the fear away and wrapped us all up in a calm, collective feeling. It even worked on the man on the floor because his growls softened and he lifted his head a little from his knees. Black eyes met our own, but it was Esme that said aloud what we were all thinking.

"Oh, my God," Esme breathed, her hand over her mouth. "He's…one of us."

* * *

**A/N... Some of you guessed this from way back. Though the theories on this guy ran the gamut – a halfling, the ghost of a vampire, a shapeshifter, and some even thought it was Lisa Dixon's spirit – but some of you were spot on...it's a vamp with a talent. I've never been so proud! ;) I promise you'll hear all about the guest downstairs on Sunday. He's...not what you're expecting. Chapter 8 is complete and already in JenRar's extremely capable hands. :) I guess the question now is... _Who_ is he? Hmm?**

**Two songs will be added to the playlist...this time, from Edward and Bella's bedroom iPod. ;) If you're creating your own playlist, then here's the songs:**

"**Give Me Love" by Ed Sheeran**

"**If I Ain't Got You" by Alicia Keys**

**There is also a pic tease for this that is up on my blog, as well. :)**

**I'll see you guys Sunday. I'm sure you guys are gonna yell for me ending it here, but the next chapter was really a biggie, so I had to cut it. Go ahead, I can take it. ;) Until Sunday... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N... You guys make me laugh, I swear! XD I have a few things to clear up for some of you...so let's go...**

**So our little guest downstairs...and little thief...was a vampire. Who he is remains to be seen. Just to clarify, without Brandon's talent of negating everyone's abilities, then they wouldn't have seen him.**

**To my Firefighters who bet on EVERYTHING! LOL Sorry about having to wash the truck. And you'll find out the skeleton question in this chapter. But PLEASE keep the playlists coming! :)**

**One more thing...a reminder, really... Bella's shield. If you'll remember, Bella's always been a shield, and I took that way beyond how SM had written it. She can move things, manipulate things, open or close her mind to Edward, etc. But it also protects her if someone isn't to be trusted. The flip side of that is if someone is nice, someone needs her...it pulls her to them. It's how she's always made human friends since her change, but it works on immortals, as well. So just keep that in mind, okay?**

**All right, so I know you're just about to go crazy...so see me at the bottom...**

* * *

"_Oh my God," Esme gasped, her hand over her mouth. "He's…one of us."_

~oOo~

Chapter 8

**BELLA**

Alice and I both suddenly stepped forward in a protective stance over the shivering and once again growling person on the floor. The second Esme had spoken, he'd covered himself up again and started to snarl, which caused everyone in the room to surge forward.

"Stop!" we both cried out.

I turned to Brandon. "Let me out…let my shield go!"

He did as I asked, and I slammed it down between us and everyone else. There were too many powers down in that small room. With Catherine's ability to draw people in, Edward's mind reading, Jasper's empathy, and many more, it seemed to make the walls feel like they were closing in on us. I couldn't even begin to imagine what the scared man at my feet was feeling or thinking about it all. He'd been found out and was now trapped like a wild animal in the one place he felt safe.

"Can't you see? You're scaring him!" I sobbed, simply because the fear that Jasper had emitted was so very strong.

Everyone relaxed, letting out a deep breath once I cut them off. The only sound in the room for several seconds was the warning growl from behind me. It was heartbreaking and desperate as the man tried to curl in on himself even more.

"Bella," Edward stated slowly, his eyes flickering between me and the man on the floor. "Sweetheart…he's scared of you, too. You have to come away from him. He's not…stable."

"He's starving," Brandon stated, his eyes not leaving the floor. "That's why."

"Bella, Alice," Carlisle said stepping as close to me and Alice as my shield would allow. "You need to step this way."

"He needs help, Carlisle," Alice argued. "He'll snap soon. I've seen it. He just wants to be left alone."

"He needs us," I added, glancing between Carlisle and my husband, the latter of which looked like he was debating on snatching me up or joining me.

"Okay," Carlisle soothed with a slight nod of his head. "We'll do all that we can for him, but I need you two to come this way."

"Damn," Demitri sighed, stepping forward. "He's weak."

"That's why he's freaking out," Emmett noted softly, but his face was sad as he gazed down on him. My biggest brother's head shot up, and he glanced around the room. "I don't get it. How come we didn't smell him? See him?"

"My guess is he's somewhat like Bella here," Demitri answered, gesturing to me as he knelt down as close as my shield would allow him. "Maybe a little different."

"Some sort of cloak...or...or chameleon?" Carlisle asked him. "Like Mark's masking ability? But couldn't he control it?"

"Probably not," Edward sighed, his eyes sad as he took in the immortal at my feet. "If he's that hungry, then he may have no control over it."

"Or maybe he never had control," Jasper added, frowning at the man whose growls had now turned into a soft, keening whimper.

"God, how long has he been here?" Rose asked, shaking her head.

"Who knows, but he's here," Carlisle stated gently, locking eyes with me and then Alice. "Girls, I know you want to protect him. Bella, I know your shield is drawn to him, but I need to see him. Please." When neither of us moved, he sighed. "Please, girls. I need to have Edward hear when I speak with him. I promise you both on my life that we won't hurt him." He placed a hand over his heart, and his eyes were warm, full of calm concern.

"There's too many of us down here," Alice argued. "That's part of the problem."

"Okay," Demitri said with a nod, turning to the room. "Then, let's do this. Emmett, stay on the steps into the library. Jasper, stay at the basement door. Brandon, just keep up what you're doing, but the rest of you go upstairs, please. Or at least step outside the room."

Everyone did as he asked, a few grumbling in the process. They didn't like leaving us unprotected, but I knew deep down that it wasn't needed.

Edward stepped forward, scowling that he couldn't come closer, his fist pushing at my shield, which caused his muscles to flex in his forearm. "My sweet girl, I know what your shield is telling you. I haven't forgotten that, but if we're to help him, we need to get in there," he told me, and his voice was soft, soothing, but it was his eyes that radiated pure honesty. "Bella, I promise...no one will hurt him."

I glanced to Alice, and she nodded reluctantly when our eyes met. "They won't hurt him...but he won't like it."

"Can you see him now?" I asked.

She nodded, letting out a deep breath of relief. "With you and Brandon, yeah."

"Damn, that's some powerful shit," Demitri muttered, pulling his long hair away from his face. "No scent, no sight, no thoughts, no...nothing. No wonder you guys were confused."

Carlisle nodded, but he waited patiently for me and Alice to make our decision. Carefully, I lowered my shield, but I couldn't move away. I simply gazed down at the wrecked vampire at my feet, who was trying his damnedest to melt into the brick wall behind him. A feeling of false calm filled the room, and not only did everyone around me relax, the immortal on the floor did, too. He still stayed tightly wrapped around himself, but the keening, the scooting back...it all stopped. I glanced up at Jasper, who looked like he was using everything he had to send out something other than fear.

Kisses met the side of my head, and I leaned into Edward, allowing him to pull me back a few steps. We were quiet as Carlisle knelt beside the man on the floor.

"We're not here to hurt you," he said, using the calmest, softest tone he could muster. "My name's Carlisle Cullen. I just want to help you."

"He's wondering where the girls went, but he's afraid to look because he knows they're close," Edward murmured softly. "He's not... He won't think about anything else, Carlisle. He's afraid of them."

"The girls?" he verified, and Edward nodded.

"He keeps thinking the words 'monsters' and 'evil,'" Edward added. "Carlisle, he's way too thirsty to talk to. He's not making any sense because he can't focus on a single thing – which would explain the few things I've heard."

"Why wouldn't he just...hunt? Because that's more than just...thirst," Brandon pointed out.

Edward's statement about the things he'd heard since we'd been in the house made me stop to think. Everything now made complete sense. His thirst would explain why he was unable to control his power. Our presence would've scared him because we were strong, and he was extremely weak.

Somewhere upstairs, my phone started ringing, a police siren filling the air. It stopped, only to start over again.

"Baby, that's Charlie," Edward said softly, "and you'd better get it because look... It's hurting his ears."

The siren wailed again, but the reaction from the vampire on the floor was tragic. He shivered, whimpering, and wrapped his arms around his own head.

Reluctantly, I left the basement, flying upstairs to our room. The siren started again, and I knew Charlie never blew up my phone like that, so this had to be important.

"Hey, Dad," I answered.

"Bells, it's not Charlie," a girl's voice said quickly.

"Anna? What's wrong? Where's my dad?"

"He's fine. I'm sorry that I was stalk-dialing you, but I thought that you guys would want to hear this from me. I just got off the phone with Tim Dixon," she stated breathlessly. "I think...maybe... Well, I think you guys have a vampire in there, but...wouldn't you sense him?"

"It is. And it's kind of a long story why we didn't know...we just found him?" I said, but it came out like a question because I wasn't sure how else to put it. "What did Tim say?"

"Okay, well, I know Charlie told you I was going to lie about updating his cold case information, so when I called, that's exactly what I did," she started, talking almost as quickly as one of us. "Anyway, at first, he didn't want to talk about any of it, but I got him to slowly tell me what happened the night that his wife disappeared..._and_ about the last night he and his daughter stayed in that house." She paused to catch her breath but then went on without waiting for any reaction from me. "His story about the night Lisa disappeared came out like he was reading the police report; he gave no details, and it was like he had no emotion about it. But when I said that someone had bought the house and was moving in, he flipped out. Hard. He said no one should live there. They wouldn't survive it."

"What happened?"

"He said that he tried to stay in that house for as long as he could – you know, in case Lisa showed back up – but that strange shit started to happen. Doors would open on their own, things would go missing, and his little girl would wake up in the middle of the night screaming. He said eventually, he just moved her into his room. He told me that at first, he thought it was the ghost of his wife, and he said he could almost live with that...until the last night."

Anna paused again, practically panting, and it was almost funny, but I had a feeling what she was about to say would be shocking.

"He struggled to tell me about that last night. He swore I'd think he was crazy; I had to tell him that I'd seen some pretty weird shit in my life, so not to worry."

I smiled, shaking my head. "Go on."

"He said that the last night he was there, he woke up to someone...or some_thing_ looming over his daughter. He said it was white like a ghost, but solid like something real. Tim said it was whimpering like it was in pain and froze when it realized that Tim was watching it." She paused for a moment. "Bella, it spoke to him."

"He..._he_ spoke to him. It's a man," I corrected softly, my heart going out to all parties in this situation. "What did he say?"

"He said, 'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please...run. I can't stop myself much longer. You aren't safe. _She's_ not safe.'"

The words seemed to hang in the air for a moment, and I looked up to see Rose standing in the doorway. Her face was a mixture of emotions – disgust, worry, curiosity.

"That would mean..." Rose started, shaking her head. "That would mean that the guy downstairs almost drained them."

I nodded and frowned, going back to the phone. "Anna, did Tim say anything else?"

"Nothing other than he was pretty sure he knew where his wife had gone. He left that next morning and didn't take anything more than a small packed bag. He didn't care what happened to the house," Anna replied. "Bells, do you still want that interview?"

"Yeah, send it," I sighed, thinking it was better to have it, just in case. "Thank you, Anna. Seriously."

"No problem. And Charlie said he'd call you in a few days," she told me.

We ended the phone call, and I tossed my phone onto my still-disheveled bed. Turning to Rose, I let out a groan.

"Carlisle said he wants us all in the living room. He wants a family meeting," she said.

We walked silently down the stairs to the living room, where everyone was waiting. I could see by their faces that they'd heard every word of my conversation, but it was the strong, open arms that I fell into. Edward shifted me until I was sideways on his lap.

"Did you just leave him down there?" I asked.

"It's what he wanted, love," Edward stated soothingly, tucking my hair behind my ear. "We don't think he's going anywhere."

I could see by the look on his face that there was more to that statement than Edward was saying out loud. Whether he was keeping it from just me or from everyone, I wasn't sure, but I knew he had some sort of theory.

"I do. Just wait," he whispered, kissing my cheek softly.

Carlisle was pacing in front of the fireplace, his face intense as his fingers gently rubbed his chin. We were quiet for a moment, but Demitri sat forward, his elbows on his knees.

"Carlisle, we can remove him," he stated, wincing at Alice's and my immediate protestations.

"You can't!" Alice cried. "He won't survive it!"

"He's not a bug to exterminate. He was here first," I growled, and Edward's arms tightened around me.

"I wasn't going to _exterminate_ him, little one," Demitri replied, wearing a slightly crooked smile. "I was simply going to try to take him somewhere to help him."

Before I could answer, Edward spoke up. "I don't think you'll get him out of the house without a struggle, Demitri. After Bella's conversation with Anna, I have a feeling he hasn't left this house for a long time."

Again, I heard something in his tone that he wasn't elaborating on. When I locked gazes with him, he simply shook his head one time, telling me now wasn't the time. He glanced past me to Carlisle, who was leaning on the back of a chair.

"From what I can tell," Carlisle started with a deep sigh, "there's nothing physically wrong with him. There's no open wounds, no injuries of any sort. He's simply..."

"Starved," Jasper stated, rubbing his throat. "I can feel it more than anything. More than the fear."

"Right," Carlisle agreed with a nod. "If we take what we know about this house and those videos, I think we have a problem." He grimaced a little, his gaze flickering to Edward for a moment, but he continued. "He's extremely powerful – talent-wise, anyway – and his incredible thirst is causing his inability to control it. Bella, you should understand that."

I nodded, relaxing a little against Edward as he turned my wedding ring around and around.

"At the mention of hunting, he cringes in fear. And I think we saw how he hunts: out that back cellar door," Carlisle said, sighing frustratedly.

"Oh, damn," Emmett murmured, shaking his head. "But he didn't...catch anything. And he didn't give chase to that lynx, he simply let it go. So he's not...leaving the house?"

Edward shook his head no. "He wants to feed. I hear it in his mind. In fact, that's all he can focus on, really, except his fear of...well, women." I felt his shrug behind me. "I don't know why, but he's terrified of them. Even if they're trying to help," he said with a small smile when I turned to look at him.

"I've never seen fear override an immortal's basic instinct for the need to feed. Never." Carlisle's words sat there for a moment because he was right. At some point, instinct usually took over.

Edward huffed a humorless laugh. "Yes, you have. You."

The room came to a standstill for a moment as we glanced between the two men who knew each other better than any of us.

"I didn't want to be this," Carlisle said, a growl lacing his words.

"Neither does he," Edward argued back. "I hear it every time he thinks the word 'monster.' He knows _exactly_ what he is, and he doesn't want it. He fights it at every turn. It's why he's starving." Edward breathed heavily out of his nose. "You did the very same thing, Carlisle. You waited, tried everything to avoid killing."

"What if...I mean... We could feed him," Adrian said softly, shrugging a shoulder when we turned our attention to him. "Anything, at this point, has to be better than what he's had. And maybe it'll help with communication."

"But what diet?" Jasper snorted, shaking his head.

"Doesn't matter, does it?" Demitri asked, shrugging a shoulder.

"Well, we aren't gonna bring a homeless guy up in here and throw him into the basement like Daniel to the lions' den," Rose snarked, rolling her eyes.

Demitri grinned, throwing a pillow at her. "I know that!"

Carlisle cracked a smile, but he said, "I can get some donated blood from the closest clinic. We could start him off with that and then move on from there. He's obviously not particular about his diet, as we saw from the video. I believe he would have taken the lynx if he'd have been able."

There were nods of agreement around the room, but something he'd said stayed with me.

"The raccoon!" I gasped. "All those bones in the garage! That was him."

"Yes," Edward said softly, still playing with my fingers. "He's been taking what he could get, it would seem."

"Which means...Lisa Dixon, too," Alice stated, her nose wrinkling.

"Yeah, but if that's the case, then..." Emmett started but was cut off suddenly by Esme.

"_Who_ is he?" she asked sharply. "That's what I want to know."

Edward shifted uncomfortably a little underneath me, but he said nothing. I turned to look at him and quickly understood that was what he'd been so quiet about. He had an idea about who this vampire in our cellar was. His warm honey eyes begged me silently to not say anything, and trusting him wholeheartedly, I let it go.

"I'm not sure," Carlisle sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We tried multiple times to get him to even think about himself, but he wouldn't."

_Edward Cullen,_ I thought to him, and he flinched a little. _You'll spill soon, right?_

He snickered softly, kissing my fingers. "Yes," he breathed against my skin. "Promise." To the rest of the room, he said, "I agree with Carlisle. I'd like to get something in him. I may have more luck with his thoughts. He doesn't trust us...because we're just like him, so anything we do will be misconstrued as a threat."

Carlisle called the meeting to an end, stating that he'd head out to the closest clinic to pick up the blood. The rest of the family milled around us, but I didn't move from Edward's lap.

My nose wrinkled as I sighed deeply. I knew that this vampire needed our help and that he was not a threat to us – my shield was proof of that. However, there was something in the back of my mind that told me there was more to him than met the eye, that we already had the answer. And then it hit me: the entire history behind this damn house, every broken message that Edward heard, and the palpable fear that clearly filled this whole place... This vampire had been inside this house for almost a hundred years.

"Yes," Edward hissed in my ear. "But who?"

I gasped, spinning to look at him. He wore a proud expression that I'd come to the same conclusion he had. That same expression told me that we were being listened to by everyone and asked me to still keep it quiet.

_A hundred years, __Edward!_ my mind practically screamed at him. _They've never left. And if that's the case, then maybe you were right...agoraphobia?_

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

I smirked at my beautiful yet extremely clever girl. It hit her quickly, but I wasn't sure I wanted the entire house to know exactly what we'd come up with. If it was, in fact, a hundred-year-old vampire, then it was the most powerful one we'd ever seen, not just for his talent but because he had to have the most bloodlust control I'd ever heard of in my long years.

On top of that, I wasn't exactly sure who he was, only that the history of missing humans told us that he'd been in this house a very, very long time. His current health told me that he'd also refused to eat, refused to actually exit out the door to feed himself. But more than all of that... His mind was shattered. He was petrified of the girls. Every last one of them. His thoughts were broken, choppy, even with Brandon's removal of his cloak, and he was unstable. The latter part could be his lack of nourishment, but if it wasn't, then this vampire was now a threat to himself and others.

"Wait!" Jasper called just before Carlisle exited the house, turning toward me and Bella. "What? What is it?"

Bella and I locked gazes, but she whispered, "It's only a theory. It wouldn't hurt to tell them."

Sighing, I nodded, setting her on her feet. I stood up, running a hand through my hair. "I can't be sure...but if we put the history behind this house together, and the way that this vampire thinks – the words he uses – we may have an even bigger problem, Carlisle."

"You think you know who he is?" my father asked, stepping closer. When I didn't say anything for a moment, his mind swirled around the facts, and he came to it all on his own. I saw Bella's notes, old journals, and finally, he remembered my discussion with Bella over agoraphobia. "Damn...Archie Varner?"

I winced when the whole house gasped. "I think so, but I can't be sure until he's fed. His thoughts are too...erratic. It would make sense. I mean, William Varner said that his son wouldn't leave the house, and some...human characteristics carry over into this life through the change. You know that. But in all reality, he could be...anyone."

Thoughts around me were a little scattered, but I focused on Carlisle's more than anyone's. He locked gazes with me and nodded. He seemed to think that I was pretty damn close.

With a twirl of his keys around his finger, he opened the door. "Okay. I'll be back," Carlisle stated with a single nod, and he left the house with Esme.

The house was silent for a minute, but Demitri sighed loudly. "When he gets back is when the fun will begin."

Small fingers linked with mine, and I glanced down at Bella. I could see that it was taking everything in her not to rush into the basement. Her shield tugged a little at her, a need to just...help. But instead, she pulled me a little behind her.

"Come with me," she said, guiding me into the library. Instead of opening the bookcase door, she nudged me toward the piano. "Play."

I smiled at her, my brow wrinkling at the command; not that I wouldn't do anything she asked of me, but it seemed a strange request at the moment.

"Not for me," she said with a silly giggle and an eye roll. "To calm him. You said music helped, so let's try it. Maybe he'll be a little calmer by the time Carlisle gets back."

Nodding, I took a seat on the bench and looked up when everyone joined us.

_Yo, Ed,_ Brandon thought to me. _You want to be able to hear him?_ He jerked his chin toward the bookcase door, and I nodded.

"Yeah, take away his power," I told him softly. "Jasper, brace yourself, and Bella, hold that shield, okay?"

Jasper and Bella nodded as the latter sat next to me on the bench. My brother picked up an acoustic guitar, fiddling with the strings. Brandon fell into the sofa by the cellar entry, and I felt our guest's mind immediately. Flinching at the constant chanting of, "Must leave, must leave. Too much, too much," I took a deep breath and let it out.

"Um, not yet. Let's see what happens with just the piano," I told Jasper when he raised an eyebrow and looked at the guitar in his hands, and he nodded.

The most calming, most soothing thing I could think to play was Bella's lullaby, so I started it softly. My family was amused at my choice, but my Bella... She felt honored. I leaned into the kiss to my cheek, dropping one to the top of her head when she nestled in beside me. The biggest change was indeed in the immortal just on the other side of the bookcase doorway.

Mentally, it was like he sighed a deep breath of relief. He clung to the notes, and without his power, I could see through his eyes. The basement was dark, dank, but it was comfortable for him, though he hadn't moved from what I now assumed was a bed of some sort. He was overcome with thirst, but he fought it. The problem was he was way too far gone to give it much effort. My theory on his instability wavered because he flickered through each face he'd seen down in his room. The most notable was Carlisle, for actually speaking to him. I saw my own fierce face, but it was the face of the woman beside me that fell to the forefront of his mind.

"It's helping," Jasper sighed, speaking so softly.

"He's confused," I added just as quietly with a nod, switching to another soft song, _Claire de Lune_. "He wants to truly mistrust the girls – all of us, really – but he doesn't understand why Bella and Alice stood up for him."

"His thirst is overwhelming," Jasper stated, but there wasn't much we could do about it at the moment.

"That would explain his sensitivity to sound and why he can't control his talent," Demitri piped up.

"Maybe," was all I said, focusing more on the keys than anything else, though I had to fight my smile.

He could hear us and was listening intently, but he didn't want to acknowledge that we were talking about him, which made me wonder just what else he'd heard in the house.

He stayed perfectly still the entire time I played. Eventually, Jasper and Kevin joined in on guitars, and we fiddled around with a few songs. We kind of skipped around through decades, Emmett eventually adding a soft beat to whatever we were playing. The Mamas and the Papas, Joan Baez, and Lady Antebellum were just a few that we touched on – all calm, all soft. Voices were mixed in, but not loudly. Mainly, we just sang to ourselves. Bella sang with Jasper on one and with me on another; even Carina treated us to an Italian love song. And despite the cringing fear when he would first hear a woman's voice, our guest downstairs remained mellow.

Once Carlisle and Esme returned, carrying a rather large cooler, we stopped playing. After a quick glance around the room, Carlisle ordered Kevin and Adrian out of the house, due to the blood that he was about to give to the vampire downstairs. He didn't want them tempted, nor uncomfortable.

"Perhaps we should lessen how many of us are inside the house for this," Catherine suggested. "Carlisle, who do you need? The rest of us will leave for a bit."

Rubbing his chin, I could already see who he needed, but he nodded in thanks to her. "I'll need Edward, Jasper, and Brandon, for sure. Bella and Alice, I might need you, but you have to let me work with him."

Alice nodded silently, but her mind was a cacophony of visions. She met my gaze briefly and shrugged. She couldn't narrow anything down because everything rested on the shoulders of someone she didn't know, someone who wasn't able to make a straight decision at the moment.

"Don't talk to me; talk to my shield," Bella huffed, folding her arms across her chest in an adorable pout. "It seems to have a mind of its own these days."

"Try, sweetheart," Carlisle said with a chuckle, but he understood her frustration.

"I'd like to stay," Demitri requested. "If that's okay with you. I won't go down there; I'll just listen at the door."

Carlisle nodded in agreement, kissed Esme, and opened the cooler. He grabbed two bags of O-negative and a plastic cup, waiting until everyone had left before opening the bookcase door.

Upon Carlisle's return and the lack of music, the immortal's stress level started to climb again. He heard what we were planning, though he didn't have quite the realistic picture in his mind. He assumed we were coming in violently.

"Careful, he knows we're coming," I murmured to Carlisle.

My father nodded, gesturing for everyone to get into position. Brandon plopped himself down on the steps, and Bella joined him. Jasper ran around to the basement entry, planting himself there, just in case. I took sentry at the opening into the tunnel that led to the garage. Alice stayed upstairs on the library sofa, her mind searching, constantly making decisions, and reading out the outcomes. Demitri simply paced.

The very second the immortal's eyes caught sight of us, the growling began, which could've been interpreted as a warning, though I could see it was simply fear. He really didn't trust us, and that could be just as dangerous as aggression. Bella's mind had associated him with sounding like a trapped animal, and I honestly had to agree. No matter who this person was, he'd lost all sense of humanity. There was nothing left of him, and that made me wince a little, especially when he shivered at Carlisle's close proximity, even more when Carlisle started to speak. The vampire curled in on himself like a turtle in a shell, hiding his face as my father slowly knelt next to him.

"I promise, son, you don't have to be afraid. No one here is going to hurt you. That fear, that sharp pain that comes with noise...that's hunger. You're thirsty. I'd like to help you with that," he said soothingly, though he'd made no move to touch him.

I nodded that he was listening when Carlisle shot me a quick glance when the growls and the shivering hadn't stopped. However, Alice's vision hit me quickly, loudly.

"He doesn't trust you, but he'll drink the blood. Alice says you have to do it quickly. He won't be able to control himself once he tastes it," I stated, which interestingly enough caught the vampire's attention more than I thought it would.

_Evil,_ he thought. _He sees my mind. Knows too much..._

"Yes, I can hear your thoughts," I told him softly, ignoring when everyone's eyes landed on me, except the curled-up figure in the corner, who remained buried in on himself. "It's a gift... Well, most of the time." I huffed a laugh and shot my smiling girl a wink. "It's a gift much like your ability to hide," I told him. "Some of us wake up in this life with...extra senses."

_Don't know... I need... Blood..._

"He's ready, Carlisle," I sighed, gesturing to the bag in his hand. "He may understand more once he has that in him. His head will clear."

The whole room readied when Carlisle picked up the bag of blood. Jasper shifted uneasily but didn't leave his post. Brandon and Bella froze in place where they were. The strong scent of human blood wafted around the closed space as Carlisle poured the first bag into the cup. My own throat burned a little at the smell of it, but it was easy to ignore, considering I'd smelled the sweetest of blood in my human Bella. No blood before or after that had ever come close. Nothing was as sweet as when I'd first laid eyes on her, and nothing ever drew me in like the smell of freesias and strawberries. This... This was nothing.

I took a step forward when the immortal shifted, his head lifting slowly to finally take in the room. He noted me and Jasper, but it was the man with the gift in front of him he could only focus on. Black, thirst-sunken eyes glazed over, his chest rose and fell as his breathing picked up, and his hands balled up into fists.

Instead of handing it to him, Carlisle merely set the cup down onto the floor at the vampire's feet and slowly scooted back.

"It's all yours. You truly need it, son. And I have more," he said, scooting back another few inches.

_More?_

"Plenty," I urged him. "Take it. You'll understand a lot more of what's going on once you've fed."

I shook my head because as starved as he was, he should've been out of control, but he wasn't. He was calculating, wary, and slow. Despite his weakened state, he should've flown into full-blown bloodlust when the scent of blood hit the damp air of the workshop, but he waited.

_Shouldn't eat...didn't hunt. Not allowed._

I inhaled sharply because that thought confirmed who I thought he might be. Archie Varner had carried into his immortal life his father's last order, the last command that William had threatened him with. I could even recall the words in his own handwriting in the journal that Bella had found.

Carlisle shot me a quick glance, but I shook my head, jerking my chin toward who I now believed was Archie. A shaky white hand slowly opened and reached out. It wrapped around the cup, almost squeezing it too hard, but he righted his grip. I had to smile because as soon as he brought the thick liquid to his mouth, that's when the bloodlust hit him. He drank and drank, his black eyes rolling back into his head and drips spilling down his chin. Panting when it was empty, he looked to Carlisle.

Jasper silently noted his control, and I turned to give him a quick nod. When he asked me through his mind if I could hear him better, I gave another nod.

"More?" my father asked, smiling a little at him as he picked up the next bag.

The cup was thrust forward, his wariness of everyone around him gone for the moment in his thirsty haze.

"That's a yes," Bella murmured with a touch of humor to her voice, but she winced when Archie's gaze shot her way, a growl escaping him.

He scooted back farther but met the unforgiving brick wall.

She held up her hand in a surrendering gesture, her sweet heart breaking at his condition. "I won't hurt you, I swear. I'm not... Drink. It's yours," she told him softly, pointing to the cup he was now holding possessively.

The only thing keeping his fear in check was his memory of her standing between him and several other "monsters." His thoughts flickered between instinctively rushing at her to defend what was his or drinking.

"Drink," I chose for him, my voice rougher than I'd intended. "I'd rather you didn't find out what happens if you touch her. She's not here to hurt you. She's fought for you since we found you."

"Edward," Bella chided softly. "It's okay. He's scared. I get it."

I pursed my lips, shaking my head, but Archie watched us nervously, and he noted my name, which caused me to spin to look at him.

Without taking his eyes from me, he lifted the second cup of blood to his lips. Again, he lost his focus once the nectar hit his lips. Setting the cup down, he closed his eyes briefly, and it was amazing to watch the blood do its job. Meshing with the venom in his system, his skin slowly changed from almost translucent to just really pale. His sunken-in eyes and cheeks filled in a little, and his breathing was easier. He was still starved, his eyes still black, but his gaunt features weren't so exaggerated. It was easier, knowing what to look for, to see that he was a young man, not much older than twenty, and his thoughts were much more focused. He was no longer skeletal, but merely way too thin.

"Now, maybe this will be a little better," Carlisle said with a touch of humor to his voice. "My name's Carlisle Cullen...and I was changed in 1692."

I smiled when that got the vampire's attention, but he still didn't speak as he wrapped his arms around his drawn up knees. He wasn't hiding his face, which seemed to be an improvement.

"This is some of my family and friends," Carlisle stated softly, gesturing behind him toward us. "Some of them have gifts like yours, like my son, Edward, explained to you. He can read your thoughts, and if you don't trust us to speak aloud, he will speak for you." He pointed to Jasper in the back of the room, saying, "My other son, Jasper. He can feel what you're feeling and can calm you if needed."

Archie's eyes looked to Jasper, his eyes questioning, but I said the words for him.

"He'd like you to prove it," I said with a small smile to my brother.

Jasper smirked a little but didn't move from his leaning stance against the wall. "You're nervous, scared, and still hungry, but completely in control of your thirst, which makes me think you're older than we realize. Mistrust is the main emotion. Although, curiosity is slowly making its way in. That's a nice change from the fear we've been feeling since we arrived."

The immortal took that well, his mind filling with questions, but he turned his attention back to Carlisle, who he was trying to figure out.

"My friend Brandon over there," Carlisle continued with introductions. "He can take away someone's talent. It's how we found you. You gave us quite the scare for a little bit."

The vampire growled a little at Brandon, but the young man simply waved and smiled, saying, "Sorry, man. Can't help it. We all kinda work together sometimes, okay?"

His brow wrinkled at that statement coming from Brandon. He didn't understand. In fact, he was completely confused as to why there were so many of us, how we got along so well, and how calm we all were. He also started noticing small things – the gold of our eyes, not red, our happy smiles, and the clothes we wore.

Before Carlisle introduced Bella, I interrupted. "Do you know what year it is?" I asked him, waiting until he could figure it out.

Several images flickered through his mind. They were so fast that I couldn't pin any of them down, but it seemed he was counting the years the only way he knew how. When he came up with the correct year, I nodded and decided to try something.

Carefully walking across the room, I placed my hand on Bella's shoulder. "This is my wife, Bella." I knelt down so that I was eye-level with the two of them, and my girl stayed still and quiet. "I know you're..._uncomfortable_ with women, but I promise you...there's not one in this house that means you any harm. _Especially_ this one."

_Not women...women monsters..._ he corrected, his black eyes flickering between me and Bella. _They don't care...they hate...they hurt..._ Something else jumped to the front of his mind, but he pushed it back, not wanting to think about it. It happened so quickly that I was unable to catch it.

"She won't," I vowed, raising an eyebrow at him. "And we think that her talent works similarly to yours. She can help you learn to control it."

That seemed to really intrigue him, and he lifted his head from his knees. The thoughts that assaulted me were heartbreaking...and troublesome, if I were to be honest. He wouldn't think of his maker – though, by now, I assumed it was a woman – but he'd had no training, no teaching, no instructions to this life whatsoever. He had no idea what he was capable of. He assumed vampires were all evil, all monsters, but was now completely confused because we were being kind to him. Extremely fuzzy human memories wafted around me, and I nodded and sighed, turning to Bella.

"We were right," I told her softly, grimacing at what this meant and turning back to Carlisle. "Meet Archie Varner."

"No way!" I heard behind me in a gasp from Jasper as I stood up.

At the sound of his human name, Archie literally – as the girls would've put it – flipped the hell out. His hands shot to his ears, he pressed himself as far as he could into the wall, and he growled low and hard. Shaking his head back and forth, he negated anything Carlisle was now trying to tell him – that we wouldn't hurt him, that we were trying to help him, and that he was safe.

_Jesus, son, are you sure?_ Carlisle thought to me, giving me a panicked glance.

I nodded sadly, my eyes on Archie as he wailed. Again, he sounded like a trapped animal, and now I heard it for what it truly was: crying. His mind was a cacophony of terror, anger, and confusion. But it was the chanting denial that caught my attention.

_Not Archie...not anymore. Something wrong, something evil. Can't die._

I looked to Jasper, to please calm him, and he nodded once before sending something calm into the small space of the cellar. The overwhelming sadness and anger melted away enough that Archie settled down a little.

"I used to think so, too, Archie," I told him gently, using his name on purpose. "We're not. I'm still Edward Anthony Masen Jr. from Chicago. I was changed in 1918 by Carlisle," I said, placing a hand on the concerned man next to me. "Who we are, everything we knew from before...that never changes. We only change physically. Whoever changed you needed to have told you that."

_I want to die. Why can't I die?_

"He wants to die," I murmured to Carlisle, who understood his pain.

"We've all been there," Carlisle sighed, waiting until black, scared eyes met his. Pointing to Brandon and Bella on the steps, he said, "Except for those two. They love this life, live every day to its fullest. And it can be...amazing, Archie."

Archie vehemently shook his head, and he growled low, only this time, it truly was a warning. He needed to be alone, was screaming for it in his head, so I stood up, tugging Carlisle with me when Alice's visions from upstairs told me we were pushing Archie too hard. If we didn't pull back now, he'd lash out.

"It's too much to process, Carlisle," I told him softly. "He's...uneducated in this life. He needs time."

"Okay, okay," Carlisle conceded with a nod and a deep, sad sigh. "Archie? When you're ready for more blood, just think about it, and Edward will let me know."

I wasn't sure that had gotten through to him because the keening sounds started all over again. Too pale arms wrapped around his head, and he buried his face in his knees. He was turning in on himself once more. His thoughts were muddled and scared but weren't coherent.

Carlisle turned to the rest of us. "Upstairs. Let's leave him be," he stated, wearing an almost-defeated expression on his face. "Brandon, can you keep him under your control?" he asked, gesturing for all of us to head up to the library. "Just for a little bit. I think he'll want to feed again soon, so Edward will need to hear him."

Brandon nodded. "Yeah, sure. No problem. I'll have to stay no farther than the library."

Jasper left via the cellar, and Carlisle and Brandon ascended the steps into the library, but my sweet girl hadn't moved. She simply stared sadly at Archie's curled form. Her heart was breaking for him, and she allowed her shield to succumb to the pull. Through her mind, it gently wrapped around him like a hug. He felt nothing, but oddly enough, his sounds settled down.

"Sweetheart, come on," I urged her, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet. "He'll be okay. He's just..."

"Lost, Edward," she finished for me, and her voice broke a little on my name.

"I know, love," I sighed, kissing her temple.

Reluctantly, she pulled her shield back just as gently as she'd sent it out, and Archie was none the wiser. She turned and walked up the stairs, and I followed her, giving the immortal one last glance.

Once we stepped through the bookcase, Carlisle asked, "What did you see? How did you know?"

"I saw his father," I explained, shrugging a shoulder. "We saw pictures of him in the public library when we were researching this place. The way he counted years was remembering who had lived here. He would go through their things in order to catch the dates, and they were who he'd fed from when he couldn't help it." I clawed at my hair in frustration because this changed everything. "Carlisle...he's lived in this house for over a hundred years!" I hissed, shaking my head. "He's my age!" I said in order for him to understand just what this meant. "Whoever changed him, they left him, abandoned him to this place. He has no idea how to live. He knows what he is, what we are, but he has no understanding of what he's capable of. How he's lived this long knowing nothing is beyond me."

"Some of that would be instinct, but his fears overrode everything else, like his inability to leave," Carlisle answered calmly, placing a hand on my shoulder at the same time Bella linked her fingers with mine.

"Who could be so cruel?" Bella wondered aloud, her eyes locking with Alice's. "Sorry, Ali."

Alice grinned and shook her head. "We all have our beginnings. Not everyone was changed by their eternal loves or someone like Carlisle," she stated with a giggle, giving me a wink. "No worries."

Carlisle smirked at me over their exchange, thinking, _We've got a tough road ahead of us with him. His personality will be set in stone. It'll be hard to change his way of thinking._

I nodded, burying my nose in Bella's hair and inhaling deeply. It grounded me, reminded me that change could happen. It just didn't always come at the right time.

"I wonder who changed him," Demitri muttered softly, gazing out the library window over the backyard. He turned to look my way. "Female, obviously."

"Yes, I think so, too," I concurred, shrugging a shoulder. "Though, he works very hard not to think of her." My brow furrowed as I heard Archie settle down in the basement. "He used his talent to hide from all the different people in the house, but he didn't run. He associates women with cruelty and abuse, so his maker wasn't...kind."

My head spun toward the bookcase when Archie caught fragments of our conversation. It sent him into a frenzy in the workshop. Already destroyed things shattered even more under his temper. His memories were dark, scary. I held up a finger when Carlisle started to ask something because it seemed Archie was reliving how he came to be.

William Varner truly had tied his son to a tree armed with a gun to hunt deer. He was to sit there until one wandered by. But it was the fear of the unknown "evil" that Archie ranted at his father over. William, however, simply walked away.

When night fell, Archie was practically frantic. His hands were bound together around a rifle, but his leg was chained to a tree, bolted down like shackles. When I saw what "evil" approached him, the growl I let loose caused everyone around me to jump.

"You've got to be kidding me," I growled low, shaking my head in denial because I recognized the immortal woman that was approaching him in the woods not far from this very house. "No," I breathed, glancing first to Carlisle and then finally, to Bella.

"Edward, you're scaring me," she said, cupping my face. "What do you see?"

"Well, that explains the cruelty," I groaned, my hand gripping my hair, and I spun when Alice caught my decision to say the name out loud.

"You've got to be fucking joking," she snarled, a sneer curling her lip.

"Guys!" Jasper and Bella bellowed at the same time. "Who?"

I looked to my sister, and we were both in shock because we didn't exactly know how old this vampire had been. Flashes of tell-tale hair color, a foul disposition, and harsh insults now hit me from Archie downstairs. He was remembering all of it, and we didn't meet what little he knew of vampires. We were in all essence the complete and total opposite of the only other vampire he'd been unfortunate enough to come across. And that couldn't get any more true.

"She'll have ruined him!" Alice hissed softly, but emotions took over when she glanced at Bella. "No wonder he's messed up."

"Alice," Carlisle chided gently, but turned to me. "Who was it, son?"

I took a deep breath and let it out, shaking my head a little. "He was changed by...Victoria."

At the sound of her name, poor Archie howled in anger and proceeded to continue to tear apart the only thing left standing in his room – the rocking chair. I watched through his eyes as it busted to pieces against the stone wall, and he crushed what remained in his bare hands.

"Brandon, give him back his power," I told him. "We'll leave him alone for now."

"Sure, man, no problem," Brandon replied with a sad grimace.

Jasper and I sagged in relief when Archie cloaked everything once more.

Carlisle's face was stern when he turned to me. "Call Emmett. I want everyone back here now. We need to talk."

* * *

**A/N... Everyone, meet Archie Varner. :( Yes, he's had quite the rough time...and it didn't help that his maker was the foulest vamp on the planet...Victoria. He's starved to the point of skin and bones, he's scared senseless, and he's weak...but his power is...strong. I've dropped clues about his entire story since the beginning, but now you finally know.**

**Like Carlisle said, we've got a tough road ahead of us, so if you're still with me, then strap in and hang on. We will hear more in the next chapter, which will post Wednesday. JenRar already has it in her brilliant hands. :) I will tell you this much... Chapter 9 wrote itself. It went in a direction I wasn't expecting, and it turned out better than I'd planned. :)**

**On a different note, it saddens me that the fandom has lost another member to cancer. Although I didn't know Just4ALE, my heart breaks for her family and friends. Its a tremendous loss.**

******Okay...so let me hear you... To those that had guessed that it was Archie... NICE! ;) See you guys Wednesday. Until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N... Wow...what a reaction on who changed Archie! Yeah, Victoria was a complete bitch, so you know the little guy didn't exactly have it easy. What I was glad to see was that you guys all have faith in the Cullens. If anyone can help him, it's them. Yup. Definitely. :)**

**The bets still continue with my firefighters...though I'm not sure which ones will be resolved in this chapter. You'll have to let me know. LOL**

**A few asked why Bella and Alice reacted so strongly. Bella's shield is drawn to Archie. He's a good person at his core, but she feels for him. Alice didn't exactly have the best beginnings, either, so perhaps she's sympathetic. Make sense?**

**Okay...on with it. See you at the bottom...**

* * *

Chapter 9

**BELLA**

I flinched at the roar and crash that came from downstairs. Four days. Four days of anger and sadness that wafted through the house like a thick fog. I finally started to shield whatever room we were in. At the moment, it was Edward's and my room.

After our discovery of Archie, it had been decided in a family meeting not far from the house that we would try to help him. Since he posed no real threat, everyone agreed that he needed us, especially when I stood up for him. Demitri, Carina, Brandon, and Catherine offered to stay around just to help. We were all curious as to how Archie came to be, but Edward could only see what the vampire actually thought about. And therein lied the problem.

Archie was weak and scared and angry, but when he figured out we knew his maker, Victoria, any trust we'd built with him in those first few minutes was completely shattered. Gone. He no more wanted us down in his cellar than he wanted to leave the house. He shunned everything we offered him, including blood, which worried us all to no end, and he would lunge at Brandon, knowing he was taking away his ability to hide. No one wanted to hurt him or restrain him, so we let him be, though Carlisle hadn't given up trying. He went in every day – sometimes, more than once – to talk to him. Archie, however, had still not uttered a single word.

Victoria. I _tsked_, rolling my eyes and flipping the page of the book I wasn't really reading as I lay across our bed. What a nuisance she'd been – apparently for her entire existence. Poor Archie wouldn't listen to a thing we had to say about her, so he had no idea that she was no longer walking this Earth, thanks to Edward. Personally, I think it was something he needed to hear.

Edward chuckled from his spot at the foot of the bed. He was sitting on the floor and leaning back against the mattress, but his feet were planted on the steps that led down to the lower part of our bedroom. Soft notes filled the air as he plucked at his acoustic guitar. It was the one he'd bought for himself while he'd been away from me.

"Relax, sweet girl," he crooned, his head falling back to the bed and turning to look at me. He never missed a note he was playing. "He just needs time."

I ran my fingers through his hair, kissing his forehead. "I know," I breathed against sweet-smelling skin. "But he should at least hear that Victoria is no longer around. It's a fascinating story, where you're the handsome hero that saves the damsel in distress from a crazy psycho. We can leave out Jake's part in it all," I said with a grin.

He smiled shyly and sweetly, shaking his head at me and looking a touch embarrassed. "I was lucky, and it let me keep you, baby. That's all that's important."

The groans throughout the house made me laugh. "Don't listen, then!" I growled, rolling my eyes. "House full of nosy people," I muttered, scowling at the door of our room.

"That didn't take as long as I thought it would, love," Edward noted, though the sarcasm was clear as day. "We can still run away..." he teased, smiling and biting his bottom lip.

"Nah," I sighed dramatically and simply added, "Esme would be sad." I grinned at her sweet laughter that spilled up the stairs, but I changed to thoughts. _Besides, we're her favorite children._

Edward laughed softly, stole a quick, somewhat upside down kiss, and went back to playing. I returned to my book, keeping my fingers deep within unruly locks, which caused a purr to join in with the guitar music.

It was a comfortable quiet in our room – an escape – which was nice, considering what the last few days had been like. The first few times that Carlisle had tried to speak with Archie, too many of us had gone in, which had resulted in snarls and growls that Alice had said would've changed to violence. Edward had tried to read his mind, but it was full of only angry and mistrustful thoughts. Now that he knew what we were capable of, Archie wouldn't let us in. Carlisle had then tried going in alone, with Esme, with Demitri, and finally, with just Edward, but the same thing would happen. Brandon was the worst target, so he had to stay up in the library to work his talent on poor Archie.

However, all that fighting did answer one question for us: how Archie was getting around without leaving any footprints. He was using the walls to travel inside that cellar. Basically, he looked like a lizard on a rock. Carlisle once again said that he'd found a way for his instincts to keep him hidden, keep him safe. And I wondered just how far back that went – perhaps even to Victoria.

I flinched again when growls traveled upstairs from down in the library. The slam of the bookcase door told me that Carlisle had failed again. My shield tugged hard at me, wanting nothing more than to go to Archie, especially when the keening wails started. My fingers gripped Edward's hair, causing him to hiss a little.

"God, sorry," I gushed, pressing kisses to where I had accidentally tugged too hard. "I'm so sorry, Edward." He was laughing as I tried to smooth his hair back down, but the adorably scrunched-up face made me kiss his ear, cheek, and temple.

He set the guitar aside, turning a little so that we were nose to nose. "You can't control it, can you? The shield, I mean?" he asked, taking my hand from his hair and kissing each finger. When I shook my head no, he nodded like he'd assumed as much. "Through your thoughts, I see that you fight it. Why?"

"Carlisle said to give him space..." I shrugged a shoulder. "It's not like he can hurt me...and my presence – along with every other woman in the house – makes him...wary."

Alice gasped from the next floor down, which seemed to catch Edward's attention. He tilted his head a little, so I knew they were communicating the way they always did. Our bedroom door opened to her standing there, a wicked smile gracing her features.

"If she went in alone, shielded herself from his attack, then he would have no choice. He doesn't know what she can do," Alice gushed in a frenzy. "Edward, you can see that he'll at least pause long enough for her, because she gets pissed."

My eyebrows shot up as I glanced between the two of them.

A smile crawled up Edward's handsome face, but it fell just as quickly as it came. "And the blood?"

"She's fine, see? She shields the scent," Alice replied.

"You two plan on letting me in on this?" I asked wryly, closing my book and sitting up crossed-legged in the middle of my bed.

Edward looked sheepish but got up from the floor to sit down in front of me. "We think – or at least, Alice sees you making progress with him. She sees him taking the blood from you. He needs it. He's still starving. What Carlisle gave him the other day is still not enough."

"And I get mad...why?" I asked, turning my gaze to Alice.

She shook her head. "The reasons keep changing."

I pursed my lips at them both but looked to the doorway when Carlisle appeared. "You want me to try, right?"

He smirked a little at my snarky attitude but nodded. "I think anything is worth a shot. If you go in shielded and without fear...he may realize that he can't get anywhere with you."

"Assert my dominance?" I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Jake would be proud," I scoffed.

Edward chuckled, but one glance his way, and I had to fight my smile. His eyes had darkened at the mention of dominance.

_Shameless, Edward, _I thought to him, fighting my laughter. _And just __whose__ dominance? Mine...or yours?_

He grinned, dragging his tongue slowly across his bottom lip, like he was already tasting me in the air. "Doesn't matter," he said, his voice laced with humor and want.

I patted him on the head condescendingly, loving my naughty husband that much more. "You'll have to hold that thought, baby. Apparently, you've signed me up for something else."

Carlisle barked a laugh at his son's crestfallen face and my cheesy grin but waved me forward. "Come, sweetheart. I'll get you what you need. I'd like to get two more bags in him soon."

Taking a good look at him, I reached out to brush what looked like dirt off his shirt. "Carlisle...did he throw shit at you?" I growled at his tentative nod, my nostrils flaring at the same time that Alice's laughter rang out.

"He's lashing out, Bella. We've disrupted his world. It's completely understandable," Carlisle defended, but that wasn't working for me.

I took the two bags of blood and the cup, walking to the bookcase doorway and unlatching it.

"Hey, Bells, you need me to—" Brandon started while pointing down the stairs, but I cut him off.

"No." My answer was sharp and slightly laced with a growl, but I turned when Edward's hand landed on my shoulder.

"Shield," he instructed, using a low-enough tone that only I heard. "He knows you're coming."

"He doesn't scare me," I snapped, and I was loud on purpose.

The very second my feet touched down on the bottom step, the debris on the floor shifted. Tucking the bags of blood under my arm, I leaned against the wall, shot my shield up around me, and waited. I felt where Archie was, in the far corner over by the cellar entry. But broken boards, shattered glass, and a cloud of dirt and dust bounced off my shield.

"You done, Archie?" I asked, my voice harsh, but I snorted when he tried again. "It won't work. You can't touch me."

When he didn't stop, my temper snapped, using my shield like a bulldozer, I scooped up every bit of trash and garbage on the floor, including his pile of blankets, and sent it barreling down the tunnel that led to the garage. The floor was spotless. It was just open bare concrete, except for a small wooden door in the floor that his blankets had been covering. Raising an eyebrow at it, I went back to the problem at hand.

"Now, maybe we can get somewhere," I huffed dramatically, ignoring the sound of my family's stifled laughter.

I sat down on the bottom step, feeling Archie shift. Just because he was angry didn't mean that he still didn't pull me in. At that thought, I let a deep breath out and set the bags and cup at my side.

"You know, I understand that you're upset and frustrated, Archie," I started, rubbing my face. "I also understand that Victoria was a nasty piece of work. If you'd give us five minutes, I could tell you how we know her – _and_ how she met her demise..."

That must have gotten his attention because his movement within my shield came to a halt.

I tilted my head his way but then shook it. "No, you'll have to do better than that. You want to know what happened, then you have to earn it, Archie. Show yourself, and I'll tell you. Stay calm, and I'll feed you," I bargained, pointing to the blood at my side. "You're acting like a coward by hiding, and you're acting like a child by pitching these grandiose fits. I'm done. You had to have been around twenty when you were changed, so surely you remember your manners. You need to understand that we mean you no harm, and you're attacking the one man that means the most to us and who wouldn't harm you if you paid him. Yes, we're in your house, and yes, you're scared, but I'm pretty sure we've done everything to prove to you that we aren't going to hurt you. Trust me when I tell you that if we didn't want you here, if we didn't want to help you...there are enough of us with plenty of power to get rid of you. And it wouldn't surprise me if a few of them haven't considered that you're more trouble than you're worth."

It seemed harsh to say, but we'd tried coaxing, patience, and calm. Maybe the only other thing left to use was a firm hand and the cold, honest truth.

"I'm _not_ Victoria," I growled, frowning at the thought of that nasty red-headed demon. "In fact, she was the reason I had to be turned."

I heard the sharp intake of breath before movement flickered across the room. Archie was wrapped around himself directly across from me, leaning against the wall. His pale skin was a sharp contrast to the dark brick around him, but he regarded me with black, emotionless eyes. He was still way too thin, almost emaciated. His cheeks and eyes had sunk in again, which told me that he'd used what little energy he'd had fighting us. He was almost back to where we started, and it had only been a few days. Looking at him, I was curious as to what he'd look like completely healthy...and clean.

Nodding once to him, I said, "Yeah, we totally have her in common. Thank you. I didn't like the idea of talking to thin air."

His face didn't change, but he rested his cheek on his knees, his eyes never leaving mine, except to glance once at the blood by my thigh. I ignored it; he hadn't earned that yet.

"I met Edward when I was still human," I said to start my story and didn't stop until the night when Edward changed me. I left out a few details, like Jake and the wolves and Edward's two-year absence, but I told him that Victoria had only gotten meaner and more vengeful over the years. "She's gone. I promise that she'll never bother you again. She's scattered ashes on the Pacific Northwest. Edward took care of her and then changed me."

I didn't elaborate that I'd wanted it, that it had already been planned to change me. Archie never would've understood that, at least not at the moment. I didn't need to read minds to know that he hated what he was and that he was terrified of it all, though Edward had explained it multiple times.

When I was done, I picked up the first bag of blood, feeling his eyes on my every move. "Listen, Archie," I told him, shielding myself from the scent as I filled the cup. "We aren't like her. That's my family upstairs...every last one of them. That's my husband, my parents, my brothers and sisters. We live _as a family_. We don't kill humans, and from what I've discovered about you...you don't want to kill, either, or Caroline Dixon would have disappeared that last night ten years ago. You suffer until you can't take it, until you snap."

I held out the cup, locking eyes with him, and for the first time since I'd set foot in the room, his expression changed briefly to that of surprise. It disappeared quickly.

"We feed on animals. Carlisle's tried to explain that to you, but you were too angry to listen." I waited for what seemed like a full five minutes, but he made no move to come get the cup that I was still holding out to him. "I'm not moving, and I'm not catering to you. If you want this, then come get it. You're going to have to trust one of us, and since I've been pleading your case since we found you, then it might as well be me."

My shield was firmly in place, so if he'd decided to lash out, he wouldn't have been able to touch me. But I flinched a little when he started to close the distance between us. He didn't walk, but he moved rather quickly. My heart broke for him because Edward was right. He'd forgotten his humanity. Hell, he hardly walked upright. Victoria had broken him down to nothing and just left him. It made me hate her all over again.

A shaky, skeletal hand reached out, freezing just before touching the cup. I raised an eyebrow at him, not moving. His heavy, black gaze broke from mine to the cup. When he took it from my grasp, he was gentler than I'd expected. I smiled when he drained it and then silently pleaded for more when he offered the cup back while he crouched at my feet. I gave him the next bag, and he drained that just as quickly, licking his lips. The blood went to work immediately on him, filling in sunken spaces, smoothing out pale skin, and swirling his eyes with red, only to blacken again.

"You know, if you get enough in you, everything around you won't be so overwhelming," I sighed, because when I stood up, he scurried back across the room to the opposite wall again. I gazed around at his now bare living space and shook my head. "I'm going to send Esme in here with some new blankets for you because those others are garbage. She's the only mother I have, so you treat her with respect," I told him. I took one step up but turned around to face him again. "Oh yeah, and you can have more...on one condition." I shook the cup in my hand. "I'll give you all you want once you've returned the things you've stolen from me and Emmett. Specifically, my box of letters. That was a low blow. The drill and the music were one thing – those can be replaced – but the letters... You have no idea how much they mean to me. Okay?"

I didn't wait for a reaction from him; I simply walked back up the steps and into the library to see Esme already there with a pile of new, soft, fluffy blankets in several different colors. She kissed my cheek on the way by. The boys, including Edward and Demitri, were staring with open mouths. Rose, Alice, Carina, and Catherine all nodded like it was about time someone had said something to Archie. Carlisle looked proud but still worried as he watched his wife take the stairs down into cellar. We held our breaths, but Esme emerged not a full minute later without so much as a sound from down below.

I handed Carlisle the empty bags and the cup. "He doesn't get a drop more until those missing things are returned. Anger, I can understand; thievery, not so much." I made sure my voice carried so that there was no mistaking who I was talking to.

At that, my brothers, Demitri, and Brandon, howled with laughter. Edward stood up from the piano bench and walked to me.

Cupping my face, he chuckled. "You're beautiful when you're angry."

I grinned, and my giggle grew until it was full-on laughter. "Whatever, Edward. You're biased."

"Mmhm," he hummed against my forehead. "Perhaps." He sighed, pulling back and then glancing around the room, only to turn back to me. "You treated him like his mother."

I snorted, giving the bookcase door a scathing look. "I treated him how Charlie would've treated me. Immortal or not...he wouldn't have put up with this shit."

That caused a few snickers throughout the room.

"That...was _badass_," Emmett praised in a whisper.

"No kidding!" Kevin chimed in. "Hey...can you do that same shit with my fucking laundry upstairs?"

"Kevin!" Esme growled. "I still have soap. And I'm not afraid to use it on that mouth of yours." She sighed, turning to Edward. "Play something. Maybe the whole house will calm down."

Edward barked a surprised laugh but looked like a child when he nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

"I wanna know what's under that trap door," Emmett whispered to Jasper as they played some sort of war game on the Xbox.

"No...no, you probably don't," Jasper answered with a chuckle, not taking his eyes off the TV. "That may be William Varner's true hidden room, but if our friend downstairs threw out his animal kills into the garage, then just where do you think the human ones went?"

"Well, he obviously didn't take a hike in the woods," Adrian muttered wryly, rolling his eyes.

"You think he'll return the stuff he took?" Kevin asked.

"If he ever wants to eat again, he will," Demitri said with a harsh laugh. "He's now living with a family that carries no blood and that can obviously feed themselves outside the house. And if Carlisle suggests it one more time before her shit is returned, the little one may snap."

Chuckling, I nodded in agreement, gazing around at the men in the room. The girls were in town getting some clothes for Carina and Catherine because they were staying longer than they'd intended. Brandon had gone with them.

It had been a few days since my Bella had descended the stairs and put her foot down. She'd drawn the proverbial line for Archie, and he'd followed through for most of it. She'd shocked him, that was a fact. Her power and temper had scared him, but her calm demeanor had scared him even more. The retelling of Victoria's demise had settled him a little. The blood she'd given him had cleared his mind a lot. He'd felt chastised, like his mother had once made him feel. He'd felt guilty about taking things that weren't his. But most of all, he'd felt like a fool when she'd accused him of acting like a child. She'd known more about him than he'd realized – his age, his fears, and his feeding habits. The mention of the last tenant, Caroline Dixon, had sent him reeling.

Jasper had felt something akin to respect echo up out of the cellar when Bella had finished with him, but not one peep had been heard from Archie since.

It was a waiting game – and my beautiful girl was determined to win.

"It's a battle of wills now," I said with a laugh and a shake of my head. "I almost feel sorry for him."

Jasper cracked up. "No shit, bro."

Kevin grinned. "The Goddess is a stubborn thing, that's for sure."

"Don't I know it," I sighed, rolling my eyes at their laughter.

I heard Carlisle's mind before he even entered the kitchen.

"Don't do it, Carlisle," I warned him, smirking when he sighed in defeat. "You're right, he needs more, but not like that. Bella was getting somewhere..."

His heart ached for how this vampire had come to be, and he didn't know what to do about that. He knew Bella was right in her actions, because if we fed him now without Archie doing as she asked, we'd be back to square one. His compassion for our guest downstairs was almost overwhelming for him. Bella's request that we pretend Archie wasn't there was proving extremely difficult.

Emmett chuckled. "Oh, Dad... What he's saying is... Please don't piss off the baby girl because he's the one that'll have to settle her down."

Snorting at the bare-bones truth of that, I said nothing but simply pointed at my brother and nodded.

"Or...are you bored, Dad?" Jasper teased. "You know, there's an opening at the hospital. I checked."

The whole lot of us laughed when he leaned in the doorway from the dining room. "Are we approaching your bet, Jasper?" he asked, smirking at us and folding his arms across his chest. "Who's out already?"

"Emmett and Rose," I said, smiling at my brother's low growl. "They said a week. They've been out for a while. I have more faith in you. Bella and I gave you two months, so take your time. You have another few weeks." I grinned over at Demitri when he laughed. "He won't make it."

Carlisle chuckled. "I fear I do need a hobby. You people are starting to drive me crazy."

"Yeah? Try high school, _Dad_. It's thrilling," Emmett scoffed, rolling his eyes.

My laugh cut short, and I had to rub my chest. It seemed the girls had gone a little farther into town. My family mentally noted my actions but said nothing because they were used to Bella's and my connection. However, Demitri caught it.

"How far can she go?" he asked as my brothers went back to their game.

"Ten miles seems to be the line," I told him, "but we've gone farther."

"Marcus was wondering if you were able to build on it. You know, stretch it out," he mused, pulling his hair away from his face. "I'm guessing...no."

"We've tried, but it's more painful than it's worth, especially on Bella's part." I sighed, rubbing my chest again at the ache that was there. Jasper sent me a calm feeling, and I nodded to him. "Thanks."

We'd learned to deal with the connection. All of us. Distance and time apart tugged at the two us more than a normal couple. Marcus, Demitri, and Carlisle had researched it for us and discovered that there were mated vampire couples that were able to live with _completi l'anima_ quite well. They didn't separate for long, and they always had to reconnect when they were reunited. We managed it much like we managed our thirst.

My phone alerted a text immediately.

**B: I'm okay, Edward. You?**

I smiled, the ache in my chest dulling a little at just this small amount of communication.

**E: Missing you every minute. Buy something small and lacy. ;)**

**B: Too late. I already did. But you have to earn it, Mr. Cullen.**

**E: Name it. It's yours, my beautiful girl. What color did you get?**

**B: Purple. I'll think about it and get back to you. How's my stubborn friend?**

**E: Just as tenacious as you, love. Hurry back to me. You look amazing in purple.**

**B: Believe me, I'm trying. Love you... And don't let Carlisle cave!**

I laughed, shaking my head and sending her an "I love you" right back.

Emmett grumbled at the TV when his player died, but Jasper celebrated his victory. Getting up from the couch, I wandered into the library, eying my piano. I always felt a little lost when Bella wasn't home, but I wasn't alone in that thinking. Every man aside from Adrian and Kevin were feeling the absence of their mate today. I gazed out the windows over the backyard and into the dull, dreary day. Fall was officially upon us, and soon, it would be bringing with it heavy snows and slushy days. The leaves had changed colors, giving the trees a kaleidoscope of oranges, yellows, and reds.

There was a small part of me that wanted to run, wanted to take off for a little bit just to enjoy the crisp, chilly air, but I changed my mind. Two reasons had me taking a seat at my piano instead of tearing off into the woods. The first was that my sweet girl would be home soon – not that she couldn't find me, but I'd rather run with her. And the second was surprising. My freedom was so easily taken for granted.

"Damn, Archie..." I sighed to myself with a slow shake of my head. "How could you have stayed here this long without just...running?"

I heard no answer from him, but Carlisle voiced his opinion.

"Fear is a powerful emotion," he said, shrugging a shoulder as he wandered into the room. His mind noted all our guitars on the wall, but really, he was reminiscing about my change. "Just ask Jasper," he added, smiling at my brothers and Demitri when they joined us. "Fear and self-doubt can cause the strongest of us to second-guess their decisions." He sighed, pulling a rather large book from the shelf. "I can imagine that William Varner wasn't an easy man to live with...or easy to please. At least, that's what I gathered from his notes."

Carlisle walked to my piano, placing the book on top and opening it. "I've been reading about agoraphobia since you mentioned it. It's more than just the fear of leaving one's home. There are different manifestations: the fear of being alone, the fear of leaving home, or the fear of being trapped. It brings with it states of panic of being someplace that you can't get away: crowds, busy places, that sort of thing. It leads to panic attacks, which only increase the fear. I think Archie is dealing with most or all of that."

We were quiet as he flipped through his medical journal.

He gazed around at us, but his eyes landed on me. "With a human, this would be easier to treat with medication and therapy. We can't really do that in this case."

"The medication part, anyway," Emmett pointed out, remembering Bella's talks with Carlisle after we came back from our time away from Forks.

"Yes, there's that, but he'd have to want therapy, want to talk about it, which I don't see happening anytime soon," Carlisle countered. He took a deep breath and let it out. "Archie had major disadvantages from the beginning, probably even as a human, too. Most of you had someone to teach you, guide you, even if it was someone not-so-kind." His eyes landed on Jasper, who nodded. "You were told what you'd become and what was expected of you."

There were times in my long life that I'd hated what I was, what I'd been turned into, but I'd never hated Carlisle for it. The very second I'd awakened from the burning, I could see that he'd needed me in some way. What I'd also learned throughout the years was that I'd been extremely lucky. He'd had more patience with me than I'd deserved. He'd been calm, educated, and easy to talk to, even when I'd rebelled against it all. He'd been civil. When immortals like Adrian and Jasper had been thrown into a world of hate and blood and terror, I'd woken up to the complete and total opposite. And I wasn't the only one thinking along those lines. Emmett and Kevin – even Demitri, who'd been changed in Volterra – were, as well. Had the girls been here, they'd have agreed.

"From what I've seen – which isn't much, mind you," I started, looking up at Carlisle, "Victoria had planned to drain him – at least from what he can remember her saying – but she was interrupted by something so she left him. Once the venom started to take root, his memories become fuzzy. He remembers waking up here in this house, though. He remembers everything his father said to him at the end, too. He feels he shouldn't eat if he hasn't hunted, and he's afraid to go outside because the last few times he _was_ outside, terrible things happened." I grimaced and shrugged, but that was the truth of the matter.

"Well, Dr. Freud," Kevin huffed, rolling his eyes up to Carlisle, "what do you make of that? Hmm? This'll be the first time drama and psychosis doesn't stem from the mother, but from the maker."

Carlisle grinned, but Kevin had a point.

Jasper's lip curled in hatred as he shook his head slowly. His thoughts were interesting, so he couldn't help but share them. "What you want to bet that crazy bitch kept him in the dark on purpose, just to keep him under control? And what do you want to bet that she just grew bored and left him, especially since he was too afraid to leave?"

I waited, thinking our discussion would cause some sort of reaction from Archie, but again, he remained silent – both mind and body. Rubbing my chest again, I sighed a deep breath when the ache suddenly vanished. It caused a smile to cross my face. The girls were on their way home.

"My biggest worry is that he'll wait too long," Carlisle sighed, closing the book. "If we take what we know of this place, then you have to realize that he'd go months, even years between feedings. He may have just accepted what we gave him and is willing to wait."

"But..." Kevin held up a finger as a smirk crawled up his face. "We've done nothing but offer him trade-offs, and he's given in to each one so far. Granted, Goddess scared the shit out of him, but nevertheless, he did as she asked because she came through with her side of the deal. I vote he caves soon."

"Plus, he's got to hear us, feel us, even see us around him," Adrian murmured softly, frowning as he gazed out the window. "He's got to see that we're not like this...woman that changed him."

"Setting examples?" Carlisle verified as to what Adrian was trying to get across.

"Yeah, definitely," he said with a firm nod. "I mean...look at us. We laugh and joke and play music." He gestured around the room. "Hell, the day we discovered him, we were playing football in the backyard." He huffed a laugh. "Trust me, the man that changed me didn't play football."

Laughing, I locked gazes with Carlisle. "He has a point. We've allowed ourselves to stay fairly...human. Video games, TV, shopping," I said with a chuckle, jerking a thumb toward the din of noise now entering the front door. "Victoria was always a nomad. Perhaps she grew restless with him, so he knows nothing of life."

"Or love," Esme added, leading a string of beautiful women into the room, including my own right behind her.

"Or love," Carlisle gasped, like it had just dawned on him what Archie may have seen in this house as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey, sweet girl," I sighed in relief, opening my arms when she plopped down on the bench next to me.

"Missed you," she murmured against my neck, inhaling deeply as I hugged her tightly.

What once would have earned her jibes from our siblings was ignored now. When we were apart, they knew we physically hurt. If Bella said she missed me, then it meant she'd been in pain.

_She was okay, Edward,_ Alice thought to me, showing me that they'd done their best to distract Bella from it. _It took her by surprise more than anything because you two really haven't separated in months, except for a few times. I just don't think she was ready for it._

I nodded once, kissing Bella's cheek, only to bury my face in her neck. "Me, too, love," I sighed softly.

Pulling back a little, I took in her gorgeous face, brushing her hair from her face. She seemed happy, calm, her warm brown eyes smiling.

"Were you guys playing? I didn't hear anything when we pulled up," she said with a sweet lilt of curiosity to her voice.

Jasper chuckled at her from the chair. "No, baby girl. Not yet."

"Yeah," Emmett scoffed, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Dad was all...blah, blah, blah...sad shit we can't fix...blah, blah, blah..."

Bella laughed, as did everyone else, though her brow wrinkled at Carlisle, who couldn't decide whether to laugh or not. Instead, he focused on catching the girls and Brandon up on what he'd just gone over with us. When he was done, it was Esme that spoke up.

"If he'd just let us..._help_." She sighed, giving the bookcase door a forlorn glance. "His focus and control would be so much easier for him once he's had enough."

"It's really not that simple," I stated, running a hand through my hair. "Just getting him healthy won't suddenly make him all better," I sighed, looking up to a nodding Carlisle. Silent questions flew at me from just about everyone in the room, though the loudest was the angel's at my side. I gazed down at her, linking her fingers with my own. "He's so much more complicated than that. He was changed against his will, kept in ignorance, and probably terrorized by Victoria. He was a year old when they built this house and moved in. He's known no other place. His father sounded like he was overbearing and impatient, and he blamed his own son for the death of his wife."

Kevin scoffed aloud, rolling his eyes. He knew that feeling firsthand, but he'd had no shame in telling his father at the end that he was who he was and nothing could change that.

"Not back then," I argued, shaking my head. "A son didn't argue with his father in those days, Kev. It just didn't happen. Until you were a grown man, married with a family of your own, you answered to your parents. Period. Hell, you weren't given much choice as a vocation, either." I frowned, spinning Bella's wedding band, because the biggest argument when I was still human was school versus joining the war.

"He knew," I continued, pointing toward the bookcase door. "He knew something was out there, and no one listened. His father offered him up like a pig to slaughter, so he was changed with all this surrounding him. And now...he's been living inside himself for over a hundred and fifteen years. _My age_." I pointed to my chest so they'd understand just how long that was. "That's a really long time to get used to hate and fear and hunger."

"And no one was here to tell him differently," Bella added sadly, soothing me with gentle rubs to our clasped hands.

"Exactly." I nodded to her but looked up at Carlisle and Esme. "He adapted as well as he could, given the circumstances. He fed off what he could get his hands on...and he'd wait. There's a reason the town thinks this place is haunted. Because it is – by him. He's fought what he is his entire existence, but he couldn't deny it when someone moved in...and I'd be willing to bet the occasional vagrant that passed through. Bloodlust took over, and the self-hatred would begin again."

Jasper set his guitar aside, leaning his elbows onto his knees. "There's no feeling like it...being raised to fear evil, taught how to pray to God, and then suddenly, _you are the evil._ The guilt...it never really goes away. Maria turned a Catholic priest once," he murmured, his eyes glazed over with the memory. "I had to end him. He went mad with trying to reconcile what he'd become with what he once was. He refused it all – blood, women, the anarchy. His conviction was so strong that his new mind couldn't take it. I remember envying him because my own convictions lasted as long as that first taste."

The room was silent – even the minds were subdued – for almost a full three minutes.

Carlisle took a deep breath and let it out, his mind on each one of us he'd turned. He nodded once and then spoke softly. "He needs to remember who Archie Varner was. He's lived so long as a rat in the basement, as a scary secret, that he's lost who he truly is. It's what I've tried to teach all of you in my family. You are essentially the same person. You can overcome what has happened to you. It's not easy. It is basically the road less traveled, but it can be done. It's easier for some than others."

His gaze landed on Bella, then Rose, and finally on Kevin – the three among us that had not slipped in their bloodlust, besides himself. His pride in them was palpable. He was thinking Bella and Rose would probably never slip, but Kevin still had a very long road ahead of him. Bella relied on her shield to keep herself under control, and Rose was just tenacious enough to stay strong. Kevin was a touch impulsive, but he was surrounded by immortals that could help him.

Demitri stood up from the sofa and faced the windows, but his voice was gentle. "Everyone can be taught," he stated. "We all started out hungry, angry, and confused. Despite his age," he continued, this time, turning to face the room, specifically me, "we have to treat him like a newborn."

"Not until he trusts us," Bella argued, and even at the moment, her shield was tugging at her to go to Archie, to comfort him. All that she was hearing was only making it worse. "Victoria was cruel and a sadist. She enjoyed playing on people's fears," she murmured, looking up at me. "She knew exactly what to do to make you think the worst."

I kissed the top of Bella's head when her mind brought back the memories of the ballet studio and James. Victoria hadn't been there, but she'd been a key player in all of it. My beautiful girl thought that Victoria had been the mind behind most of the decisions, that James was simply the leader to carry them out.

"Then let me feed him," Carlisle urged, and I had to chuckle when the whole room groaned.

"No," she said, standing her ground and pointing a finger at him. "You want him to remember who he is. Well, he can start by owning up to the things he's taken."

I grinned, shaking my head at my stubborn girl. She was damn well determined to get her box of letters back. And she was talking loud enough so Archie probably had no choice but to listen, which he was, because there was a physical shift downstairs. Blinks of thoughts caught my mind, but they didn't stay solid. Archie was struggling to hold on. I could see his desire to feed again, but I also saw glimpses of nerves.

"How many bags do you have?" I asked Carlisle, because if Archie understood that there was plenty, maybe he'd come around.

"Ten more, why?" he answered, his eyebrows raising up when I tapped my temple. "They're all Archie's," he stated on purpose.

The room came to a standstill, but downstairs became a rush of activity. Jasper and I grimaced when fear, embarrassment, curiosity, and anger all flew at us at one time. There was nothing for Archie to throw around or break down there, thanks to Bella's shield and her temper, which only made him that much angrier. Bella shook with the force of her shield pulling at her. She knew he needed us, but this was something he had to come to terms with on his own. He either learned to trust us, or he didn't. It was that simple.

"Son, play something," Esme encouraged. "If it helps, then use it."

For her, I started with the song I'd written for her so long ago. Keeping to the softer songs, I moved on to Bella's lullaby, finally able to relax when Archie did. His thoughts had vanished, the movement down below coming to a stop. Though, I finally understood why music helped him. His mother played piano, quite well from the brief memory I was able to see. Using that to my advantage, I moved on to parts of classical pieces – Chopin, Debussey, Beethoven, Mozart.

The family settled down around the room, though my Bella stayed by my side. Her mind was saddened by Archie's reaction, but encouraged, too. However, it was Kevin's line of thinking that caught my attention because he was theorizing that Archie was closing in on himself – something he'd seen plenty of humans do in depression and anxiety. It was something he could understand, something he could relate to. His mind wandered to how he'd been before Alice and Bella had come into his life. He'd been trying to live day to day, but he'd had no connection to anything. He'd been trying to please a father that would've never been satisfied. Kevin felt he had that in common with Archie.

But Kevin and I had something in common, as well – music. He tended to attach songs to events and feelings, so a memory of Bella singing a song along with the radio flashed to the forefront of his mind. It had to have been when I'd been working at the hospital in London because it was only Alice, Bella, and himself at the house Bella and I had been living in at the time. I stopped playing because the song was rather poignant. It was about fighting with your own mind.

He grinned shamelessly when I glanced over at him. "You were busy, _Hot Doc_. If you don't like my memories, stay out of them."

"No," I said with a laugh, waving off the old nickname Bella had saddled me with in London.

Bella giggled but was curious as to what we were talking about...or "around," as she was putting it.

"This," I said, starting the song. "You know it?"

She frowned a little and nodded. "Yeah, sure."

"Sing for me, sweet girl," I whispered the request against her lips. "I'd like to hear it."

The room was amused at the conversation, but no one interrupted. Jasper smiled, picking up his guitar again. The original song had violin in it, but he was going to add that part with the acoustic. I started again, begging Bella silently to sing it. It was something I thought Archie could truly relate to, and Kevin agreed with me.

"What song?" Adrian whispered to him.

"'Hello' by Evanescence," he answered, sitting forward in anticipation of hearing his Goddess's singing.

My girl's beautiful voice was tentative at first, but no less perfect.

_Playground school bell rings again  
Rain clouds come to play again  
Has no one told you she's not breathing?  
Hello, I am your mind giving you someone to talk to  
Hello_

I smiled when the call to Archie started to work. His mind was as clear as a glass of water. He thought her voice was like an angel calling to him, telling him that everything would be okay. She still frightened him, but he couldn't help but listen.

_If I smile and don't believe  
Soon I know I'll wake from this dream  
Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken  
Hello I am the lie living for you so you can hide  
Don't cry_

The emotions of the song seeped into her singing, but Bella's eyes watched my hands. They comforted her, fascinated her as I caressed the keys. She thought they were just as beautiful on the piano as when they touched her skin, which made my still heart almost expand out of my chest. It also made me want to test that theory.

Jasper joined in softly, giving the song a haunting sound before Bella's voice swelled for the ending.

_Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping  
Hello, I'm still here  
All that's left of yesterday_

"That's my girl," I praised when it was over, dropping a heavy kiss to her lips.

"Nice," Emmett gushed, nodding slowly.

Esme rushed to us, kissing all three of us on the forehead, which caused Jasper to chuckle. "So pretty," she simply said, though her mind was mesmerized by our talent.

Jasper tilted his head, his gaze locking with mine as something new hit him from downstairs: determination – though, there was still fear.

A few people started chattering, but I snapped my fingers because Archie called my name in his head. Alice gasped in surprise, showing me the decision he'd just come to.

_Edward...I'm... I can't do this...too many. But I'm so thirsty... Sorry... _He sounded desperate, sad, and scared.

I saw in his mind what he wanted to do, so I stood up from the piano and walked to the bookcase door. Opening it, I stayed up top. I knew he didn't trust us, but he was really trying.

"We'll leave, Archie, but one of us will have to stay to feed you. You know that, right?" I asked him.

_Just one, just one, just one..._

I faced the room, gesturing for everyone to head outside, and they did as I asked, most thinking they could use a hunt anyway. When all that was left in the room was Bella, Carlisle, Esme, and myself, Carlisle walked to me.

"I'll stay. I'll make sure he feeds. I'll wait in the kitchen until everyone is gone. Archie, you close the door when you're ready for me. I'll hear it," he spoke into the dark stairwell.

Nodding, I said, "He agrees." Turning to Bella and Esme when he left the room, I told them to wait for me outside, that we'd stay together until Carlisle called us back. When the room was empty, I spoke to Archie. "He's going to want to talk to you. You should listen...respectfully," I warned him slightly. "He's been where you are, and he's seen more things than he likes to admit, but he wants to help you."

The answer I received was silence, but that wasn't exactly a surprise. I walked through the kitchen on my way out to the back deck, where Bella and Esme were waiting for me. Placing a hand on Carlisle's shoulder, I gave it a squeeze for luck as he pulled several bags of blood out of the fridge.

"We won't go far. I'll hear you," I stated without apology, tapping my temple and raising my eyebrow up at him. He was well aware that I could hear him for several miles.

"If he merely feeds, son, I'll feel better about this situation," he replied, but his mind was saddened because it seemed Archie reminded him of himself quite a bit.

Giving him one last nod, I walked outside. Both Bella and Esme were glancing between me and the door, not sure if we should leave Carlisle alone, but neither voiced it.

Smiling, I chuckled and took both their hands. "Trust me, we won't be far. Come, my girls...let's run."

As we stepped into the line of trees, I kept my mind focused on the house behind me.

* * *

**A/N... Progress! :) I know some of you were concerned with Bella's box of letters, but she hadn't forgotten. Not at all. The frustration level in the house just pushed them over the edge. And she finally got Archie to listen.**

**It seems everyone is feeling sorry for him. Even Edward seems to connect with him on some level, maybe because they're from the same era. Yeah?**

**If you're keeping track, then one more song was added to the playlist:**

"**Hello" by Evanescence**

**It's an emotional song, and to me, it's the basis of this story, really. The fight with one's own mind can be really hard. At the beginning, it was Edward, and now it's Archie. What others see and how you feel on the inside are two completely different things. My suggestion is to listen to it on headphones. The piano is amazing and complex...and I could totally see Edward playing it. :)**

**Okay, next posting will be Sunday. So far I've been able to keep ahead, so let's hope that stays true. :) So until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N... I know, I know... Poor Archie. We left him in the best of hands: Carlisle. I know that some of you are worried about Bella's letters, and some of you are worried that Archie may never turn the corner, but we have quite a bit of story left, so just hang in there. And yes, the boy has had a really bad go of things, and I agree with most of you that just wanted to give him a big hug. LOL**

**To my ever-betting firefighters...that position you're looking for was in _An Angel's Promise_... However, I'm not telling THE PERV CLAN whether it'll be in this fic or not. ;)**

**This chapter comes with a LEMON WARNING... Pfft...like you listen. But you should know that went a little...feral. O_o Just sayin'...**

**I'll let you get to it... See you at the bottom...**

* * *

Chapter 10

**BELLA**

Gazing around the small clearing, I sighed a breath of relief at having hunted. Even though it hadn't been long, it always cleared my head and my emotions. And emotions had run high in the house at the end of the night. I quickly disposed of my recent kill – a couple of lynx. They, along with the buck I'd found not far from here, had been enough.

Winding my way through the dense woods, I found Edward sitting down on a fallen tree.

"You're not hunting?" I asked him, collapsing into his embrace with a small giggle when he fell back with me into the autumn leaves. They plumed up around us.

"No, not yet," he answered, smiling up at me. "I'll go later."

Bracing myself on his shoulders, I gazed down at him. He was so handsome, but it went beyond looks. His sweet soul and giving heart made him an honorable man. But it was the fun, silly side of my Edward that made him irresistible to me because I got to see that more than anyone. I swept my lips across his, careful to keep myself in check. Carlisle was more important at the moment, and I knew Edward should be listening for him.

"Can you hear him?" I asked, giving him one more kiss.

He sat up, keeping me between his legs. I turned my back to his chest, letting strong arms wrap all the way around me and soft lips press to my ear as his voice pushed his breath across my skin.

"Yes. He's fine. He's trying to get Archie to show himself before feeding him." He chuckled a bit, but shrugged a shoulder. "I don't think it's working. I only hear Carlisle."

Nodding in acceptance of that, I let out a deep breath, laying my head back to his shoulder.

"You hunted, I see," he said softly, his voice soft, warm, and sweet as he inhaled a trail up my neck. "Mmm, lynx..."

"Mmhm," I hummed, smirking at just how sexy he sounded. "Yes, I miss big cats."

"Me, too, my beautiful girl," he crooned, opening his mouth to my skin and swirling his tongue just behind my earlobe, only to end in a suckling kiss that had my eyes rolling back in my head. "We'll have to remedy that soon."

"Shouldn't you be—ungh," I rambled incoherently because the open-mouthed kisses to my neck didn't stop. "Paying attention?" I finally rasped out.

He laughed softly. "Multitasking, my love..."

"Right," I snickered, but it turned into a long, soft moan when teeth entered into the mix of sensations he was regaling along my throat. When his hands flattened against my stomach and grazed up to just under my breasts, I was suddenly well aware of where we were. "Edward..."

He laughed again, pulling back, only to press a kiss to the back of my head. "Perhaps you're right, love. Esme's not far. Though everyone else took off farther than I can hear them."

Turning a little in front of him, I rested my arms and chin on his thigh and gave the woods around us a long, slow gaze as Edward's flat hand ran over my head and down my hair. It felt good to be back with him after separating too far earlier. That had really hurt. I hadn't expected it to come so quickly or so sharply, so it had taken the girls quite a few minutes to get me to focus.

"That bad, baby?" he asked, tucking my hair back so that he could see my face.

Shrugging one shoulder, I simply said, "It's better now."

"Good." He sighed deeply, kissing my cheek. "Love you."

"Love you, too, Edward," I replied instantly, my mind thinking back to the house. "Do you think... I mean... Does Carlisle see something of himself in Archie?" I asked, laying my head on its side in order to look up at his handsome face.

Edward smiled sadly and nodded once. "A bit, yes. It's the refusal to feed, I think. But so far, everyone has a little something about Archie that's driving them to want to help."

"Like what? Who?" I asked.

He grinned at my urging. "Is this how I earn my present, sweet girl?"

I laughed, gripping his leg until he growled sexily. "Maybe. We'll see. Keep talking, Cullen."

I heard Esme's chuckle and smelled her before she actually appeared at the end of the small clearing. Edward and I glanced up at her as she stood across from us.

"No, no...of course not," he answered an unasked question of him. He gestured to the space on the log next to him, and she sat down. "And he's fine. He's talking to Archie now."

"Thank you, Edward," she said, kissing his cheek. "I didn't want to interrupt, but I was curious like Bella."

I giggled. "You weren't interrupting. You could never." Poking Edward's stomach, I said, "Now you _have_ to answer."

"Okay, okay," he sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes at the same time. "I know when I'm a beaten man."

His sweet, lopsided smile crawled up his angelic face as we laughed at him, and he tilted his head a little, as if he was checking in on Carlisle, but then he turned his attention back to us.

"I think, yes, Carlisle sees himself the most in Archie," he started, "but the rest do, too. Alice, of course, understands what it's like to wake up completely confused. And I honestly believe without her visions, this would've been how she ended up – feral and scared."

Edward's fingers combed through my hair over and over, but his gaze was far away. When he spoke again, it was soft, almost sad.

"Kevin is interesting. He hates William – Archie's father. He was too close to being like Kevin's own father," he stated, grimacing a little. "He feels sorry for Archie, especially when he realized that Archie had unfortunately had no alternative but to put up with it. Adrian agrees with him, and he understands Archie's self-hatred."

My nose wrinkled at that, and Edward rubbed it gently with his finger, his eyes a warm amber as he gazed down at me. He knew I loved my life, a fact that made him very happy.

"With you, Bella...yes, your shield draws you to him, but I know you hate to see someone suffer," he stated softly as I nodded, glancing over when Esme hummed in agreement.

"I feel for him," Esme chimed in, looking between us. "He not only had this rough human life, but an even tougher immortal one. And he most likely felt so much..._more_ after his change. The fears, the hatred, the anger...it would've been overwhelming, I imagine."

Edward nodded. "That seems to be the consensus among everyone else. He reminds Demitri of a few vampires that have been brought into Volterra." He paused for a moment, smiling a little. "It seems Carlisle's patience has paid off. Archie just revealed himself."

"He's going to feed him as much as possible, isn't he?" I asked, crushing a dry, dead leaf in my hand and then brushing the crumbles off Edward's jeans.

"As much as it takes to fully sate him, yes." Edward looked over to Esme. "His theory is if he can feed him enough, then he'll be easier to deal with, even more susceptible to help. The fact that Archie has yet to speak bothers him. A lot. Demitri's concern is that he wasn't of sound mind to begin with."

"You mean not very smart?" Esme put it kindly.

"It was Carlisle's concern when he turned me, actually," Edward said with a chuckle. "Having a fever for that long can cause...damage. And Archie, if you remember from what we found out, suffered from pneumonia along with his mother."

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "You're perfectly brilliant. I can't imagine that the venom didn't help you...and Archie for that matter."

Edward laughed, as did Esme, and he kissed my lips roughly. "You're the biased one, my love," he whispered. "And I was still ill when I was changed. Archie was healthy. That would be the difference. Venom can heal a lot of things, but not something in which the person has already recovered. Birthmarks, missing limbs, brain damage – all those things stay as they were, only enhanced. The birthmark stays, the missing limb doesn't suddenly grow back, and the brain stays damaged. It may heal some of the issues, but not all. The brain is such a complex organ...even Carlisle isn't sure what changes venom makes other than the enhancement of how quickly and how layered we can think."

"Okay," I conceded, "but what if Archie's father was such an ass – sorry, Esme – that Archie tried to make himself scarce? You remember Wendy was like that when her father would come home drunk. She felt that if she made no noise, stayed hidden in her room, then she could avoid the beatings. What if... What if William was that bad after his wife was gone?" I asked, trying to not get wrapped up in the emotions of my former human friend from Portland.

My husband's brow wrinkled in thought as he listened to my mind more than my rambling questions. "You think his talent was something he had prior to his change? Like your shield?"

"It would make sense." Esme nodded when we glanced over at her. "You yourself said not too long ago that we carry something from our human lives into this one. His ability to become...overlooked may have been his."

"I don't think anyone has given it much thought," he said, shrugging a shoulder. He paused for a moment in thought. "It's certainly a good theory. We'd have to know more about Archie's human life to know for sure."

"Finish telling us about Carlisle. What's he truly see?" I begged.

Fighting his smile, he nodded. "You know Carlisle's story. How he'd been changed by accident, just like Archie. How he fought not to kill. The fact that Carlisle had to learn his own way makes him feel sympathetic toward Archie. The fact that he waits too long to feed gives Carlisle reason to believe that eventually, he could drink from animals, especially since he already has."

"And you, my sweet boy?" Esme asked, brushing his hair from his forehead, and I smiled at them because she loved him, doted on him like he was her own son. "You became rather opinionated in there."

My once grumpy, brooding man emerged for a split second, but he disappeared just as quickly as he came once I started to smile. I had a feeling that if there were others around, he wouldn't have spoken, but he sighed deeply.

"We're basically the same age," he began, his brow wrinkling as he gazed around us. "I know that by comparison to some, I'm a young immortal. But I always felt my life was long already." His soft gaze landed on me. "Now...it's not long enough..."

It took all I had not to kiss him stupid in front of Esme at that moment.

"The things I've seen, places I've been to, things I've accomplished...the list is pretty long. And I've been lucky that, for the most part, I had Carlisle to guide me, and then the rest of my family as they came along." He cupped my face. "I've found my other half, something I thought would never happen," he said, chuckling when I kissed him quickly simply because I failed to hold it in.

Esme giggled at us. "Keep going," she ordered, nudging him. "Quickly, before your sweet words cause Bella to kiss you into next week."

He huffed a laugh, shaking his head. "I've seen so much of the changes in this world and experienced so much, and I look at Archie... He's missed _everything_."

"Is it because you're from the same time?" I asked him.

"Yeah, maybe," he allowed. "But if you really think about all the things we've seen since 1920, then he's going to be truly overwhelmed with it all. The world was different then...simpler."

"It was," Esme agreed. "But they were harder at times, too. Like you said about his father. He would've had no choice but to do as he was told. And parenting was different. There was no room for illness, weakness, or emotions. A man was supposed to be strong, not collapse under the weight of bad experiences. It's much more acceptable for a man to express his emotions, his feelings now."

There was so much history the two people with me had witnessed. It made sense, due to my age, that I didn't know everything, but to think of someone that had been around as long as they had not knowing that there had been not only a second World War, but four more wars after that. That music was no longer just heard in person, but that it wasn't even a tangible thing anymore. An MP3 couldn't really be _seen_, just clicked from the computer to the player. And that led to the millions of advances in technology, medicine, transportation... I shook my head because it really was breathtaking to imagine trying to absorb all at one time.

"Now you see?" Edward asked. "You're well adjusted, and it's a lot to take in."

Esme and I cracked up, and our laughter must have been contagious because he joined in eventually, a hand clawing at his hair.

"I'm not sure..." he started, his nose wrinkling a little as his voice trailed off. "I'm not sure what he knows. He has to have seen a few things come through the house when new people moved in. He would've heard radios and TVs. He would've heard conversations. I'd be willing to bet the Dixons had computers and cellphones. It was only ten years ago. But it's more than that... If he ever leaves this place, he won't believe his own eyes when it comes to cars and noise and people."

It was then that Esme voiced the one question that I'd been afraid to ask.

"What happens if he can't...acclimate?" She wasn't really asking Edward, but seemed to be thinking aloud.

"I don't know." Edward face carried an ancient sadness with that admission as he glanced between us. "If he can't feed himself, if he can't accept any of it... Well, that's where Jasper and Demitri have experience, and it usually ends...poorly," he stated, glancing behind him. "Carlisle's joining us."

Esme smiled when her husband emerged into our little clearing. She patted the seat next to her, but even I could see the weariness on his face. After kissing his cheek, she asked him how it had gone.

He sighed, shaking his head, and looked over to Edward. "Did you see?"

"I could see you mostly. I saw him a little when he finally appeared for you," Edward answered. "He fed?"

"Yes, just about took all I had left. I'll have to make my way into Portland for more," Carlisle said, frowning a little. "I used Bella's deal-making scheme to get him to cooperate. It seemed to work. He's willing to give and take. I told him about us, giving him a little history here and there. He seemed to listen for the most part, but since he refuses to speak, I asked him to nod or shake his head to answer questions. He didn't really like it, but he tried. For every question he answered, or every time he listened to me, he earned a bag."

I smiled, thinking that what had started out as my temper had now turned into the only way to work with the poor thing. "What did you ask him?"

"The first thing I asked was if he thought he could learn to trust us, and he nodded yes," Carlisle started, leaning his elbows on his knees. "Next, I started asking about his time in that house, whether Victoria had just left him – she did."

"Damn," Edward groaned, shaking his head.

"She told him nothing, son," Carlisle practically growled, his brow furrowed in anger – something he rarely showed. "I can't know the details, of course, and he would've sensed if you had been close, so you'll have to read his mind to know exactly what occurred. From what I could get out of him, his father did tie him to the tree, Victoria started to drain him, and then he woke up in his own home, his father..."

"Don't say it," Esme gasped. "Let me guess... A ravenous newborn woke to find his own father to be his first meal."

"Yes," Carlisle said with a nod. "I believe Victoria orchestrated it to be that way. She lived with him for some time but abandoned him quickly. Honestly, I think he hid from her, and she became frustrated, but that's my opinion."

"Poor Archie." I frowned, crushing a handful of fall leaves in my hands. "Did he return everything?"

Carlisle laughed, shaking his head. "And then some. I left it where he put it...on the piano."

Edward eyebrows shot up high on his forehead. "Some of that isn't...ours."

"It seems Bella offered him a clean slate, and he took advantage." Carlisle chuckled again, turning to Edward again. "He left you a gift, though. I think he's beginning to trust you most of all. Maybe because you've only ever been honest with him."

Edward ran a hand through his hair, and I could see by his face that he didn't know what to say. "Music sheets?" he asked, his brow furrowing. "His mother played the piano. Maybe that's what he feels most comfortable with."

"Perhaps," Carlisle allowed. "Or maybe he sees something in you."

"Or maybe it's because he can communicate comfortably with you, Edward," I suggested, running my fingers through his hair because his had wrecked it. "He might like that he doesn't have to explain anything, or even speak. I mean, I understand that."

Edward grinned when Esme and Carlisle chuckled but nodded in agreement. "I'm sure you do, sweet girl."

Carlisle smiled at the two of us and stood. "Anyway, I promised him some quiet time because I know we're a loud, boisterous, active group of people, so give him a little while before you head back."

"Yes, sir," Edward said with a single nod and a wry smile.

Just before he and Esme left the clearing, he faced us one more time. "Oh, and I think Demitri has a point. I think we need to treat his thirst like a newborn's. Feed him often. He's grown so used to suffering that sating his thirst will kick some of his needs into overdrive, I think. We'll see how he is in the next day or so."

"Okay," we said together.

Once they were gone, I sat up on my knees between Edward's legs. His hands immediately fell to my sides.

"Whatever shall we do with a few hours alone, Mrs. Cullen?" he asked, his honey eyes swirling into a deep amber as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

The sound of my name caused a purr to escape me as I nuzzled his sharp jaw. "Hmm," I hummed, brushing my lips across his cheek and then his chin. "Maybe...our waterfall?"

"Exactly what I was thinking," he said with a devilish laugh, standing up with me in his arms. Tossing me over his shoulder, he popped my ass one time, causing me to squeak more in surprise than in teasing pain. "I like the way your mind works, beautiful."

I couldn't help but giggle as he took off into the woods at his fastest speed, still keeping me draped across his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Hey, caveman," I teased, smacking his butt since I had fantastic access to it. "You should hunt, you know... We have time."

Edward's laugh was full and sexy and all kinds of happy, but he did come to a stop not far from our waterfall. I could hear the musical splashes from where we were as he slipped me down in front of him. He kept me in his arms, and my legs immediately wrapped themselves around his waist.

"The only thing I want to consume is..._you_," he said the last word coming out in a slow, rumbling growl as he nipped at my lips.

Grinning, I pressed my forehead to his, capturing either side of his handsome face in my hands. "Yes, but we have time. Go. The bear not far from here may not wait, but I will."

He sighed dramatically in defeat, smirking when I laughed softly at him.

"Limited time offer, Mr. Cullen. I suggest you take it. The bear _and_ the deer I can smell..." I raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm going, I'm going," he grumbled, kissing me as he finally set me down onto my feet. "You're probably right. The next few days will be...trying, at best."

He was gone in a blink, aiming toward the deer to our left first. I heard the crash through the shrubbery as he quickly took down his kill. Smiling, I edged my way along the small creek that was fed by our waterfall to watch him take down the bear.

I chuckled to myself as an old human memory clamored up out of nowhere. Edward and I were sitting in the cafeteria at Forks High, still trying to figure out who and what we were to each other, but the subject of hunting came up.

~o~

"_Are you like a bear, too?" I asked in a low voice._

"_More like the lion, or so they tell me," he said lightly. "Perhaps our preferences are indicative."_

_I tried to smile. "Perhaps," I repeated. But my mind was filled with opposing images that I couldn't merge together. "Is that something I might get to see?"_

"_Absolutely not!" His face turned even whiter than usual, and his eyes were suddenly furious. I leaned back, stunned and – though I'd never admit it to him – frightened by his reaction. He leaned back as well, folding his arms across his chest._

"_Too scary for me?" I asked when I could control my voice again._

"_If that were it, I would take you out tonight," he said, his voice cutting. "You _need_ a healthy dose of fear. Nothing could be more beneficial for you."_

"_Then why?" I pressed, trying to ignore his angry expression._

_He glared at me for a long minute._

"_Later," he finally said. He was on his feet in one lithe movement. "We're going to be late."_

~o~

I came up out of the memory just in time to watch my predatory lion strike. His long, lean body captured the black bear in a graceful dive. Gone was the facade of my sweet piano player, my calm, controlled husband, and my silly, lovesick Edward. In his place was the ultimate feral aggressor.

No, I wouldn't have been able to handle watching Edward hunt back then – and not for the reasons he'd assumed. Yes, he would've been out of control with his bloodlust, but for me... For me, I would've been out of control with a different sort of lust.

He was – in all ways, shapes, and forms – utterly sexy when he hunted. He was taut muscles, sharp senses, pure strength, and flawless grace. No matter how long we lived, no matter how many times I'd seen him hunt, it never, ever got old.

Black, carnal eyes locked with mine as his mouth attached to the bear's neck. I licked my lips as I watched his throat constrict with swallow after swallow. It took all I had to hold in the moan of want as I watched him, but it all flew out the window when one long finger curled, beckoning me to join him.

I approached him at an almost-human pace. The bear was unmoving, though breathing deeply as a sign that he was now weakened. Edward pulled his mouth away, his eyes still black, still sharp on my own.

"Take him with me, Bella," he commanded, almost leaving no room for argument. His voice was raspy, deep, and utterly mesmerizing.

And there was the other reason I would've never been able to see him hunt while I was still human. Something, somehow, went completely haywire when we hunted, especially when it came to carnivores. It was the release of control, the letting go, and the blood itself. All of it sent the two of us – and all vampires, really – into sexual overdrive.

The growling purr I let loose echoed around us as I shook my head no. "I don't need it, Edward," I said in a soft tone, my voice now laced with want and need. "But you do."

Edward's breathing was deep as his heavy-lidded and lust-filled gaze watched my approach. His long, strong fingers gripped black fur, but he didn't move as I knelt beside him. I titled my head in a manner that wasn't me, but was instinctual on some level.

"Is he going anywhere?" I asked, fingering his shirt with one hand and rubbing Edward's clenched fist with the other as he shook his head. "Then let go for a second."

Eventually, he did as I asked and released the fur. Swiftly, I tugged his shirt up and over his head, depositing it next to me in the dry grass. Licking my lips again, I could see Edward's jeans straining under the pressure his erection was putting on the poor fabric. My theory was that Edward's cock was stronger than denim and zippers and buttons.

My husband grinned smugly at that thought, a dark, sexy laugh huffing from him. But it died quickly in his throat when my hand rubbed him over the rough material.

It was time for a command of my own. "Now... Drink, Edward," I told him, rubbing him just a touch harder, only to stop and toy with the button. I was teasing, and I knew it.

Instead of bending down to the bear's neck, his eyes were on my face, though they betrayed him as soon as the sound of a zipper hit the cool, autumn air. Leaning forward, I scraped my teeth across his bare, beautiful shoulder, humming against his skin when my hand made purchase on silken steel. Long, strong fingers wrapped around my wrist in a grip that shook just a little, which caused me to smile into my open-mouthed kiss to his shoulder.

"I don't think so, my beautiful girl," he growled low with a slow shake of his head. "I _think_ I earned something, don't you?"

Smirking, I sat back on my knees. I whimpered a little at the feel of the teasing tips of his fingers as they gathered up my shirt, only to quickly tug it off over my head. It landed right on top of his. But it was the deadly smile that made me chuckle a little. I knew that smile. It was Edward's "I'm a lucky bastard" smile. The set was purple as promised, and the small cheeky underwear hidden underneath my jeans were currently becoming soaked the longer we knelt there letting the anticipation build.

"Show me," he ordered, his breathing in pants as he helped me to my feet.

He was barely hanging on to his control – I could see that much – but I wasn't sure exactly what he wanted. There were ideas and schemes flickering behind those onyx eyes. Lifting each foot, Edward yanked off my socks and sneakers. When my jeans crumpled to the forest floor, a long, low growl rumbled around me and vibrated through his hands as he reached out to just...touch.

The next sound that escaped my Edward made my brow furrow. It sounded like defeat, like surrender as his face nuzzled my stomach, his lips opening to my skin. Threading my fingers into his hair, I held him as closed as I could. Flat, warm hands slipped up the side of my thighs and around to my ass, giving it a squeeze before snaking up my spine. Sensitive fingertips seemed to memorize every detail of lace and silk along the way. When my breasts were finally exposed to the cool air, dark eyes locked onto mine as his lips brushed softly over every inch of skin now free of their confines.

Working his way back down my torso, his nose inhaled deeply from one hip bone to the other. His fingers tickled as he urged my legs farther apart, his eyes instantly snapping to mine.

"Watching me hunt did this to you, love?" he asked, licking his lips, only to give his bottom lip a long bite like he was completely losing his self-control.

I could only nod due to his hand palming me possessively. With my fingers still in his hair, I brought his lips to mine. He tasted divine, like blood and me and his own unique flavor. I loved him so much that I thought my chest would explode with the feel of it blossoming up to the surface. And with the memory of our conversation in Forks still right there, I realized I loved every part of him – angry, protective, hunting, or just playing music. It just didn't matter. It had _never_ mattered.

"Fuck," he suddenly hissed, his eyes squeezing closed as he sat back on his heels. His forehead fell forward as his lips brushed across my thigh. "I want you, baby...in ways I can't even...articulate."

As if to remind us that he was still there, the bear let out a long, snuffling sound.

"Finish him, Bella," Edward stated, his palms skimming over every inch of me, only to cup my face. "Finish him because you'll need the strength his blood brings...trust me."

The carnal tone to his voice made me fall to my knees. I knew that tone, and despite the fact that we were pretty sturdy as immortals, I had a feeling that walking the next day was going to be difficult.

"Now there's a goal," he teased, shifting me until I was between him and the bear. "Drink," he purred against my shoulder as his nose traced along my skin and up to my ear at the same time his hands tried to guide me closer to the animal.

Warm fur grazed sensitive parts of my skin as I bent over. Latching my mouth to Edward's bite, I drank deeply, my eyes rolling back in my head at the taste of the blood and the feel of my husband's never-ending touch – both breasts, my stomach, my ass, and along my spine. When he reached purple lace and silk, strong fingers gripped the waistband, tugging them down to my knees.

I felt his cock slip between my legs as his strong chest met my back when he lined up behind me. Two flexing, strong arms braced on either side of mine, but it was the voice in my ear that caused me to lose all reason. Edward and Bella were gone, only to be replaced with mated predators that just couldn't get enough – enough blood, enough of each other, enough of anything.

"He tastes so good, doesn't he, baby?" I heard in my ear just before teeth nipped at my earlobe. "Take all of him...and I'm gonna take you. Just like this."

Though it sounded like a warning, he didn't give me too much time to brace myself, so when he slipped into me as far as he could go, my mouth broke from the bear's neck to cry out.

"Damn it," he growled, his forehead falling to my shoulder. "I don't tell you enough, Bella..." Teeth scraped against my shoulder blade as his breath came out in bursts across my skin. "God, I fucking love that you're mine...always, indestructible, and just fucking perfect..."

My head thrust back, my cry echoing in the woods around us, because Dirty Edward had just come out of nowhere. And it seemed like he was feeling a little...feral.

Fingers linked with mine, weaving black fur in the midst, but Edward's other hand tugged at my hair, holding my neck back so that he could thrust deeper and deeper into me. He filled me over and over, his mouth leaving stinging kisses along my back and shoulders. When he finally let go of my hair, he pushed gently on my back.

"Come on, love...drain him. Drain him and come for me at the same time," he ordered, and my hand squeezed his as I bent to finish off our kill.

Edward released my hand, sat up, and cupped my ass, spreading me open and thrusting deep within me with a swivel of his hips. The last of the bear's blood filled me, giving me the feeling of strength and a heady over-fed sensation, but I wasn't sure that wasn't a result of the things Edward was doing to me. His fingers played me better than any instrument, bringing me to the peak of bliss, only to slow down, thrust harder, and start all over again. Thumbs swirled over my clit and my other entrance, fingertips skated down my spine, and palms slapped at my skin just to make it that much more sensitive, leaving it stinging and needy. My climax came out of nowhere, hitting me hard and making my eyes burn with the need to shed tears.

Suddenly, I was pulled away from the bear, straddling Edward's lap. His strong chest pressed to my back as he rearranged me to ride him slowly.

"Give me another, Bella," he whispered in my ear as his fingers slipped teasingly down my stomach to my now over-sensitive nerves. "That sweet pussy feels so good when it grips me...like it never wants me to leave..."

My head fell back to his shoulder as my hips worked over him. It was slow, graceful, and more of a grinding than riding, but already his touch was winding the coil in my stomach tightly. The combination of his teeth on my neck, his hands cupping a breast, and fingers rubbing just where I needed it most sent me over the edge one more time.

"Mm, that's my girl," he praised, giving a purr when my hand reached back to weave into his hair once again.

Rolling my hips harder, I could feel him harden a bit more inside of me. His fingers gripped my hips, his breathing was in bursts, and the most delicious language spilled from his refined lips.

"Right there, baby... Fuck!" he urged, lifting me up and down to bring him to his own climax. The sound of impervious skin slapping was the most erotic thing as he mumbled, "You feel so fucking good," against my neck.

Edward's teeth latched onto the spot where my shoulder met my neck, his long growl vibrating my back as he came with a muffled roar. Stilling me by wrapping his arms all the way around me, he breathed heavily into my neck.

"I swear, you'll be the death of me, Bella," he teased in a whisper, smiling when I huffed a breathless laugh at the old joke. "Come, my sweet girl. We didn't quite make it to our waterfall."

Without moving from his lap, I turned my head to nuzzle his strong jaw. "Swim?" I asked, because I suddenly only smelled bear.

He kissed my cheek, smiling my favorite Sweet Edward smile. "Right now, I can't think of anything I'd like better."

Setting me on my feet, we both winced at the loss of contact, but he scooped me back up into his arms once he'd completely removed his jeans. He bent down so I could grab the rest of our clothes, only to run us the rest of the way to our secret place. I couldn't help but laugh when he yanked all the clothes from my hands just in time for him to dive into the water with me still in his arms. I barely caught a glimpse of them landing on our flat rock before I was submerged with sexy, happy, and sated wrapped around me.

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

"Bella..." I grunted, struggling against her shield. "Baby, I want to touch..." My voice sounded whiny, even to me.

"I know you do," she chuckled, straddling my stomach. "But...you can't," she sang, biting her bottom lip as she loomed over me.

My fingers dug into the trunk of the tree she had them pinned against, which only earned me fistfuls of shredded bark. I don't know why I fought it, because there was no way to break out of her shield.

We were still damp from our swim, and this was payback for an underwater wrestling match she'd lost. Chuckling, I sighed in defeat, my head falling back to the dry, crisp, dead grass underneath me. My sweet, deadly-sexy girl loved to take control, and honestly, I loved it when she did, though I hated not being able to touch.

We'd completely lost ourselves during my hunt – something that happened more often than not. It was usually feral and rough and dirty. It was something I never thought I'd ever get to take part in before I met Bella. Or hell, even when I first met her. In fact, only ever witnessing it through the minds of my family, I wasn't sure it was something I'd ever even want, but damn, it was fantastic.

Which reminded me of the memory my hunting had triggered in her a few hours prior. I'd read about it when she'd written her book, but somehow, seeing it in her mind made me really see..._me._ Grimacing at what my words, my voice, even my facial expressions had done to her...

"Sweetheart..." I said, and her gaze snapped to mine at the change in my tone. "I'm... I didn't mean... I'm sorry for that conversation in the cafeteria. I was an ass."

Her brow furrowed for a second only to smooth away quickly as she realized what I was talking about. The sweetest of smiles crawled up her beautiful face, and she released my hands from the tree. I sat up quickly, keeping her in my lap.

"No, you weren't," she said with a giggle, shrugging a shoulder. "Well, okay...maybe a _little_," she allowed with a smirk. A patient expression smoothed over her face as she cupped mine. "I understand, you know...probably better now than then."

"I know you do. It just..."

"Just what?" she asked, brushing her lips over mine one time, only to pull back. "I wasn't mad, Edward. I wasn't even disturbed by your reaction to the question. I just...wanted to know." She placed her fingers over my lips when I started to say something. "Baby, you and I then... We were kinda stupid." She laughed, and I couldn't help but chuckle. "You were this hundred-year-old curmudgeon that suddenly felt every single hormone a seventeen-year-old boy could feel all at once, but you were well aware of what you really were. No, I'll never hold your answers against you. I pushed and pushed to the point of annoyance. I always appreciate your honesty...then and now."

"The curmudgeon thanks you," I said with a chuckle, kissing her wedding ring when she laughed. "I really just didn't understand what you saw, why you weren't scared of me."

She grinned, shaking her head. "And you say I don't see myself clearly. Besides your always-changing mood, you were so sweet and thoughtful, Edward. You talked _with_ me...not _at_ me, like everyone else. You asked me about me when everyone else was just wrapped up in the fact that I was the new girl. You left me notes to stay safe, you watched over me when I slept, and you made me feel important. You took care of me when I'd been taking care of others my whole life."

My brow furrowed a little, but I nodded, leaning in to the touches to my face.

"You weren't an ass, baby. You were a gentleman trying to protect me from the worst thing you could imagine at the time: yourself."

"I scared you," I whispered, gazing out over the dark clearing. The stars were barely peeking through the trees.

"No... Well, yeah, but I was so wrapped up in wanting to know more and more that I didn't stop to think that you were revealing everything that you'd held secret for a very long time," she explained.

I smiled and nodded because _that_ I understood. We'd figured out ages ago that we'd mated that very first day, that very first real conversation in Biology, though for me, I was pretty sure it was at the first sight of her. From that moment on, I couldn't get enough information about her, due to the inability to read her thoughts. I'd never really thought that it was the same for her, but it made sense.

"I love you," I said, my forehead falling to hers as my arms hugged her tightly. "I never really wanted to scare you; maybe I was testing you. You know, to see if you were worth it." I snorted into a laugh because that was bullshit if I'd ever heard it.

She laughed, running her hands up my chest to my neck. "Silly ass...love you, too."

Chuckling against her neck, I sighed. I was glad we could talk about our past without one of us truly losing it anymore. Though my leaving was forgiven and understood, it was normally an avoided topic...just like we were doing right then.

"We should get back," I told her.

"Okay," she answered softly.

We both glanced over toward the rock when my phone alerted to a message. Regretfully, I lifted my gloriously naked wife off of my lap, and we walked over to our clothes. I glanced at my phone, seeing a message from Alice.

"Looks like we're alone. Everyone made their way to Bangor, including Carlisle and Esme. They won't be back until tomorrow," I said, handing Bella my phone.

Bella sucked a breath through her teeth teasingly, rolling her eyes. "They went dancing without us? I'm so holding this against them."

I grinned over at her as I redressed, and the phone alerted again, causing her to chuckle when she read it.

"Oh, apparently, she sees us interacting with Archie. That's why they're staying out," she told me, handing my phone back. "If they come home, it won't happen, she says."

Once she was dressed, I pulled her into my arms. "You want dancing? We can dance. Who needs a club?" I asked her, setting her feet atop of mine just like I had the first time we'd danced. Despite the fact that she could dance now, I loved the sweet giggle that it caused.

She smiled sweetly, kissing my lips. "Leading. I know. You don't have to say it, Edward."

Laughing, I spun around with her once, only to set her back down on her feet. "Come, love. We should check on him. See how he's handling all that blood Carlisle gave him."

Before we left the area, Bella helped me dispose of the bear we'd taken. We ran hand in hand back to the house. Once we crossed into the yard, I slowed down, listening for any sounds coming from inside.

Bella squeezed my hand, causing me to glance down at her. "Let's respect his fear, Edward," she said softly. "Announce us. That way we won't scare him."

I could see already that her shield was pulled toward him, but she forced it back. Her mind was curious as to how Archie was faring after his chat with Carlisle and feeding, but even more, she was curious as to what the vampire had left for us on the piano.

With a chuckle at that last thought, I said, "Fair enough, sweet girl." I tugged her closer to the back kitchen door, saying, "Archie, it's just the two of us," as I let us inside. "Edward and Bella."

The hum of the refrigerator the kitchen, the tick of the clock in the living room, and the soft whir of a laptop fan were the only sounds I could hear...until the a fairly loud click met my ears. It was the sound of the bookcase door either opening or shutting, I wasn't quite sure which.

_I know,_ I heard softly in my head. _I heard you coming._

I smiled a little because Archie's thoughts were clearer, more concise now that he'd fed. He still sounded weary, sad, and scared, but the difference was noticeable.

"You sound...better," I noted aloud as Bella and I made our way through the dining and living rooms.

Bella's eyebrows shot up as she glanced my way.

_I feel...different._

"You feel more yourself, Archie. It's best to feed more often," I advised. "I realize that's difficult for you, but we've vowed to help you. We'll keep that promise."

_That's what he said. _Carlisle's face swam to the forefront of Archie's mind.

"Oh, wow," Bella gushed in a whisper once we stepped into the library. "You've been busy, Archie," she said with a touch of a giggle to her voice.

Archie mentally flinched at the sound of her voice, but he forced himself to remain calm. He reminded himself of what she'd done, of how she'd fought for him. _Not her, not her, not her_, he chanted in his mind as he compared my Bella, who he was starting to trust, to his maker, whom he refused to even think her name.

And Bella wasn't kidding. The entire top of my piano was covered in just _stuff_. It seemed fairly taken care of, though most of it ranged from just about every decade. Glancing at the bookcase, I saw that the click had been to open it, not close it.

"That's a lot of stuff, Archie," Bella said with a laugh, but her eyes were raking over stacks of books, old radios, some framed pictures, and even a violin as I made my way to the front of my piano.

Leaning neatly on the music stand was a pretty thick stack of music. It was yellowed and dog-eared, but still readable. It seemed hand-written, and I tilted my head at it, but my attention snapped up to my Bella when a heard a dry sob escape her.

I wanted to laugh, but I wanted to squeeze her in a hug at the same time. Her small arms were wrapped tightly around her box of letters, her nose pressed to the wood.

"Sweet girl," I said with a slight chuckle. "Come here," I told her, making her sit down on the bench.

Kneeling in front her, I watched as she frantically took some sort of mental inventory of each and every written word. They were all there, just as she'd filed them.

_She's upset. Tell her I'm sorry. I don't want her to cry. It smelled too good, and I thought... Don't know why..._

"Hey, Archie didn't mean to upset you, love. He's saying he's sorry," I repeated for her. "He said it smelled like you...and he's not sure why he took it, but he is rather remorseful."

"I'm not mad," she sighed deeply, smiling as she traced each carved heart and note and, finally, the Cullen name. "I'm just glad they're back."

I kissed her lips roughly, grasping either side of her face. "You're okay?"

She nodded, hugging the box once again, but stood up. "I'm fine," she said to me and then walked toward the open doorway to the basement. "Archie, I'd like to come down. Is that okay?"

_She's mad... I'm in trouble._

"No, Archie, she's fine. She just wants to check on you, I think," I told him with a laugh, thinking we'd all know if she was pissed, but I didn't say that out loud.

_Okay._

I nodded to her, but just to be safe, I followed her, staying at the top of the stairs. At first glance, the room looked empty, save for the pile of blankets Esme had brought him, and they were placed right where his last pile had been – right over the top of the wooden trap door.

"I know you're nervous, but we'd like to see you," Bella told him, taking a seat on the bottom step. "Please?"

I hid my smile at his mental self-berating over his manners and remembering that she'd protected him first and foremost. He was starting to remind me a bit of Adrian – shy, nervous, and quiet. But he was fidgety like Emmett and Bella. The blood he'd consumed had allowed a bit of his real personality to come out, even if he hadn't spoken a single word out loud.

A gray blur stretched across the room, but Archie appeared in his usual spot, curled up against the wall straight across from the library entry, his arms wrapped around his drawn-up knees.

Bella giggled because he was healed, looking like the rest of us, though he could really use some cleaning up and some clothes. His pants were filthy and tattered, but his skin was smooth, his face no longer drawn, and his eyes were a deep red. Even though I'd never seen him stand up fully, I couldn't imagine he was taller than about five-foot-ten, lean, and according to Bella's mind, he was "adorable." I rolled my eyes, but I supposed he carried what the girls considered to be a "baby face."

"Lookin' good, Archie," she sang.

He fought a smile, hiding his face in his knees. I laughed then; I just couldn't help it because the compliment embarrassed him and made him even more nervous. Though I shut the hell up when Bella shot me a scathing look.

"Sorry," I said, forcing my expression into something passive.

"Hey," she called to him softly, "I'm not mad. I was, but I'm not anymore. And I wanted to thank you." She nodded once when he locked gazes with her, tapping the top of the box in her lap. "They mean so much to me."

He nodded but said nothing, his mind reeling with her thanks. In all reality, he thought she'd be angry with him, but she was being honest when she said that she was just happy to have them back. The thought of never seeing them again had hurt her.

Getting up, I joined her on the bottom step. Since he was being so cooperative, I had a question.

"Archie," I said softly, meeting his wary gaze. "The music...is that your mother's?"

He nodded again, his mind showing me that she used to play when he was young. Seeing the house through his mind, despite the blurry human memory, was interesting. The décor was so similar to how my home in Chicago had looked – elaborate fabrics, ornately-carved furniture, and a stunning cherry wood piano sat in almost the exact same place as my own did now. Elaine Varner was a thicker woman, but with a calm, patient smile, especially for her son. She had laughing hazel eyes, dark wavy hair, and a very pleasant demeanor.

"And you want me to play it?" I asked.

He nodded again. _It's been so long._

"I understand," I sighed, giving him a small smile and placing a hand on my girl's shoulder. "I'll see what I can do, okay?"

He nodded, his eyes widening at that promise.

"You should know that the peace and quiet you have now won't last," Bella said with a chuckle. "They'll all be back by morning."

_Yes, ma'am,_ he answered her in his mind, grimacing that he couldn't say it aloud. He had the capability, but he just didn't feel brave enough. He wanted to tell us that he liked our laughter, our music, our teasing of one another, but he simply sighed in defeat.

"You have time, Archie," I told him, standing up and offering a hand to Bella, who took it. "No one's rushing you on anything. You needed to feed. After that, you can work on other things." I started up the steps, but turned to face him. "I'm sure Carlisle told you that he's bringing you more blood. You'll start to feel a little thirsty in the next day or so. It's normal, considering you've gone without for so long."

My brow furrowed when he worried just where the blood was coming from...or more importantly, _who_ it was coming from.

"It's donated blood," I told him. "No lives were lost. We've told you before...we don't feed from humans."

He nodded fervently. He knew. He just wasn't sure where his meals were coming from. He was well aware of the taste difference, but he saw us as a goal to reach.

"You're a long way from acquiring animal blood," I warned him because he'd have to hunt that on his own.

_I know._

Bella had watched the exchange with warm, sweet brown eyes, her mind quiet. With a small smile, she tapped her box of letters one more time. "Thank you again, Archie. And we'll leave the door open so you can hear Edward play."

She took my hand and guided me out. Just as we reached the library, I heard him sigh in relief, and then his thoughts vanished. He was ultimately much more comfortable hidden, something that would simply take time. His change since feeding was promising. As I helped Bella clear off the piano and sat down on the bench, I just hoped that he continued to improve.

* * *

**A/N... There he is! :D Archie's a little better, though still quiet. Feeding did wonders for him, but he's still got quite a ways to go. Trust me.**

**Everyone sees a touch of themselves in Archie, and Bella got her letters back! YAY! And you just can't resist needy and Dirty Edward, hmm? ;)**

**The italicized section of Bella & Edward's conversation about the bear is directly taken from Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, just FYI.  
**

**For those of you that are keeping track, there isn't a song for this chapter. Chapter 11 is done and in JenRar's hands. I will tell you that A LOT of questions are answered for next time. Since I'm that ahead, then the next posting will be Wednesday.**

**Okay guys, I'll see you Wednesday. Let me know what you think... Until next time... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N... Okay, this chapter is a roller coaster of emotions. I will give you fair warning. I promised you lots of answers in this chapter, but I made my beta cry and my pre-reader was heartbroken. Just...brace yourself.**

**I write about different character histories in this chapter. I will tell you that I went a little OOC with Demitri, though I tend to do that a lot with him. :) There is no record of when he was changed, so I invented one to fit this situation.**

**Now, I'll let you get on with it. See me at the bottom for a few things...**

* * *

Chapter 11

**EDWARD**

"Yo, Archie!" Emmett bellowed from behind his drum kit. "We're gonna get a little loud, buddy. Just lettin' ya know!"

"He's invisible, not deaf, you dolt!" Jasper snapped, strapping on his electric guitar and giving our grinning brother a scowl, which only caused Adrian, who was sitting on the sofa happily reading a book, to laugh.

Lifting the lid to the piano, I had to laugh because not only had Archie gotten used to my rather large family, he'd grown to enjoy a little rock and roll every now and then. Personally, I think he just liked the energy of the room, though he stayed quiet to my brother's rather loud announcement.

It had been a couple of days since he'd finally sated his thirst completely, finally communicated – with Bella, Carlisle, and me. He was still very shy, still very scared of anyone coming near him, but he'd learned to calm himself down. He remained hidden most of the time, but he'd started coming closer to the library door when we were all in there. I wondered if perhaps Jasper was feeding the room with brave yet mischievous emotions occasionally, but he said no. At least, no more than what we normally put out. He simply said that Archie was curious, and he also said that Archie was feeling a touch of relief. Whether it was from his thirst or from being found, I wasn't sure.

That first night while I played Elaine Varner's compositions, Bella had gone through the things Archie had left on top of the piano. It seemed to be an odd collection. Some of it made me believe he'd taken it because it was loud and had hurt his ears – like radios, Emmett's drill, Bella's iPod, and the violin. Other items didn't make sense – like framed pictures, a hairbrush, a scarf, or a child's doll.

Carlisle's theory was that Archie had taken items of his human victims throughout the decades as a sign of regret, of retribution. Archie didn't deny it in my mind. He remained silent.

His mother's music, however, was given right back as soon as I'd memorized it, which had only taken one run-through. Bella had even been sweet enough to provide him with a sturdy notebook to store it so it wouldn't deteriorate any further. It was beautifully written, inspired by classical pieces as well as contemporary music from the era. And the feelings of nostalgia and calm that had blanketed Archie was well worth it. His feelings of gratefulness once I'd finished were almost overwhelming.

Not wanting to spook Archie any further, Brandon and Catherine were staying in Bangor for the next few days. They were close enough if we needed them, but were well aware that Archie's toughest road lay ahead. And he was rather uncomfortable around the couple. It had everything to do with Brandon's abilities – and Catherine's, for that matter – because Archie couldn't trust what he was really doing around them.

Demitri and Carina, on the other hand, he liked, though he was still timid with them. My theory was that he didn't know them like he'd come to know us. Demitri had a no-nonsense demeanor about him, and Carina was quiet and calm. Like Bella, she opted to speak _to_ Archie, not _about_ him, and he liked it. However, neither of the two forced themselves onto Archie. They opted to stay in other parts of the house or with Carlisle in his off-bedroom study. They were constantly discussing ways to help our guest downstairs.

Peals of laughter wafted down to us from the upstairs bedrooms. Jasper groaned, looking pained as he met my gaze. Halloween was drawing near, and we were absolutely terrified as to what the girls and Kevin were planning for us. Granted, we would've been just as secretive, and most likely just as evil, but it didn't make it any better being on the receiving end of things.

"Dear God almighty," Emmett growled, but really, it was whining. "Please, please tell me you can hear that shit!"

"No. Not a thing." I laughed, shrugging my shoulder. "Not only is Bella shielding every thought up there, but they're typing on the computer so that we can't hear..._what they're saying_," I told them, but I yelled the last three words just to get my point across, my eyes rolling when the laughter started all over again.

"Oh, I'm gonna end up a fuzzy bunny or some shit. I just know it," Em grumbled, looking forlornly at the drumsticks in his hand.

Jasper and I cracked the hell up, unable not to picture a giant pink rabbit with a disgruntled face. Emmett liked his costumes masculine, heroic, and most times movie characters. The girls were aware of that fact and had been teasing him for the last day or so.

"As tempting as that is, Em... No, you're not dressing as a ginormous rabbit," Rose said, though her laugh was completely contagious.

"Well, at least you didn't look like male stripper," I grumped, rolling my eyes when the giggles upstairs started all over again as I remembered having to don a firefighter costume. The thoughts surrounding me at the festival we'd attended in London had been lurid, filled with crystal clear fantasies involving all sorts of debauchery. At least most of that had been my wife, a thought that made me smile, despite how I'd felt like a piece of meat in front of an entire university.

"Not helping, Ed," Jasper warned, obviously feeling what I was dishing out.

"Sorry." I grinned, looking to Emmett. "What are we playing? Anything to drown out..._the laughing_!" I growled toward the ceiling.

"Zeppelin or Rush?" he countered, licking his lips as he eyed his drums.

"He's so breaking a drum head. Mark my words," I muttered, taking out a fifty dollar bill and slapping it down onto the piano.

"Nah, but he'll try, especially if he's channeling John Bonham or Neil Peart today," Jasper countered with a laugh and his own money joining mine, only to turn to Emmett. "And let's save Rush for _Leather and Lace_. Besides, Ed would have to set up his keyboards," he said, jerking his chin to the two electric keyboards that had yet to be unpacked.

"Don't fucking jinx me, you assholes," Emmett snapped, rubbing the snare drum's head with a reverence.

"Emmett!" Esme called from upstairs, which only caused the house to burst into laughter all over again.

"Just play," I said with a chuckle, waving at both of them.

"We need Kev," Jasper stated and then looked to the ceiling. "Come on, man. Let's go. You can plot Emmett's Stay Puft Marshmallow Man costume later."

Emmett groaned and shook his head, but Kevin flew into the room, taking the bass guitar that Jasper was holding out to him.

"Basic blues riff, Kev," I instructed, and he nodded. "Go, Em."

Emmett started with Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll," a heavy drum beat all on its own, but Jasper guided Kevin on the basic rhythm before starting to sing, "Been a long time since I rock and rolled..."

My largest brother loved complicated rhythms, giving him something really difficult to copy or embellish on, which explained why he loved the two best drummers in the world – Peart and Bonham. Personally, I think he just envied Peart's unbelievable drum set, but both men were respected all over the world for their talent.

We hit the song's bridge pretty well, until the crack and snap caused everything to come to a complete and utter halt.

"Son of a...motherfucker, cocksucker!" Emmett growled, throwing his sticks down as he eyed his split drum head with an absolute feral look on his face.

"Thank you..." I sang, snatching up the two fifties and tucking them into my back jeans pocket with a giant grin because Jasper couldn't even be pissed off that he'd lost, due to his laughter.

Esme suddenly appeared at the door, the rest of the girls right behind her, looking oh-so-amused. "Emmett McCarty Cullen...I don't care if that drum set is on fire. Could you possibly clean up that mouth of yours?"

Emmett grinned, not scared of our mother's rage one bit, and merely shrugged a shoulder as he rummaged around for a replacement head – something he now bought online in bulk.

"He'll never learn," Bella said with a giggle, straddling the piano bench beside me and kissing my cheek. "Sounded good while it lasted, though, boys," she praised, her eyes sweet, happy chocolate.

"Thank you, love." I leaned into her kisses and wrapped an arm around her just to bring her closer. "You know," I whispered in her ear, "I'd be willing to help with your costume decisions. Years of ideas." I tapped my temple, giving her a wink.

Her giggle was priceless. "Nice try, handsome, but I think we got this."

I sighed, giving her the face I knew she couldn't resist, but she simply rolled her eyes, pointing a finger at me.

"Don't start, Cullen. It won't work. And trust me, I think you'll like what we're doing. It suits your...personality," she said cryptically, and I hated that I was completely closed off from her thoughts.

"We tried that already!" Jasper and Emmett said at the same time.

Frowning down at my girl, I sighed, finally just letting it go. It wasn't like I didn't trust her, but the suspense was driving us mad.

Bella laughed softly again, only this time against my lips. "You'll live, Edward. Promise."

The bookcase door, which was now open just about all the time, shifted just a little, and I smiled. Archie had decided to join us – something he was doing more and more often.

"Hey, Archie," Bella called softly, wearing a sweet smile as I assumed her shield was tugging lightly toward him like I knew it had done since the beginning.

"Archie!" everyone chimed in, trying their damnedest to welcome him, make him feel comfortable around us.

_I was hoping to watch..._ he thought to me from the doorway; even his mental speech was tentative.

He'd been working on staying hidden while allowing me to still hear him. And that hadn't taken long once he'd fed completely. At all. Which led me to revisit my theory from before – that Archie was incredibly powerful, talent-wise.

"You'll have to wait. Emmett got a little...heavy-handed," I told him, pointing to my middle finger-waving brother.

Emmett scoffed, mentally sending me all the curses that he couldn't say in front of Esme.

"He's so cussing you out, right?" Kevin asked, laughing when I nodded.

"How's your thirst, Archie?" I asked, knowing that Carlisle, Demitri, and Carina were about to join us. "Carlisle's ready when you are."

_It's okay. Could it be later?_

"I'm sure that's no problem," I told him, glancing up when Carlisle walked in, the other two right behind him. "Archie's thirsty, but he wants to wait a bit."

"Just let us know, son," Carlisle conceded with a smile toward the open door.

"You must be doing well today," Bella noted aloud. "My shield isn't pulling so hard."

Archie's confusion rang loud and clear, but Jasper felt it more than I heard it.

"He wants to know what you mean, baby girl," Jasper told her, plopping down onto the closest ottoman with his guitar on his lap.

"Umm," she stalled, glancing up at me with a furrowed brow, only to face where he was. "I'm a shield, Archie. And if your talent works like mine, then you know you can feel it...here"—she tapped her chest—"and here." She tapped her temple, trying to figure out how to explain it. "I can protect myself and those around me. I can force things away from me, but I can also detect whether or not someone can be trusted. It's like...I don't know...like a built-in guard that works without me having to think about it. It's how I knew that you needed us."

_Thank you, Bella..._ he thought, and I relayed the message.

"Yup, sure...anytime," she chirped with a smile.

Archie's intrigue only increased as he took in the faces around the room. He was curious as to how we'd all come to be. He was aware of Carlisle's and Bella's beginnings because they'd told him, but he only knew what he'd seen and heard when it came to the rest of us.

"Maybe if we introduced ourselves... Would that help, Archie?" I asked, thinking he knew our names from simply being in the house, but he didn't know our pasts.

Adrian suddenly spoke up. "I was changed two years ago in New York City," he said softly, his mind understanding a little bit of how intimidating this family could appear to someone who didn't truly know us. "I have no...extra talent," he added with a chuckle and a wave of a hand around the rest of the room. "But I do understand what it's like to hate your maker..."

Alice went next, explaining her rather dark beginning. She didn't go into incredible detail, but she did tell him about being from Mississippi, being turned in an asylum, and about her visions. She told him about seeing Jasper and Carlisle, knowing exactly where she needed to be.

"I can see _decided_ futures," she stated. "Edward and Carlisle think that my clairvoyance only became that much more...intense after my change. And by the way...Edward and I are the same age you are..." she said with a grin as she walked by to ruffle my hair.

"Yes, that's true, only she was changed at nineteen, whereas I was seventeen," I grumped, running a hand through my hair with one hand while swinging the other at my smallest sister, who dodged my reach nicely.

_Seventeen, really?_

"Yes," I answered him. "I was born in Chicago in 1901 and changed in 1918 by Carlisle when I was dying of the Spanish Influenza after my mother begged him to save me in whatever capacity he could."

Bella rested her head on my shoulder, sighing deeply, because to her, that meant everything. Without Carlisle's intervention, we would've never met. And _that_ was the saddest thought she could think of.

"Sweet girl," I whispered with a soft laugh on the top of her head.

The rest joined in, telling about themselves. Rose didn't go into detail about the rape, but she told him that she'd been attacked in Rochester, New York, and that Carlisle had found her in the street dying. Esme, who Archie had grown quite attached to, told her story without editing anything. She was completely honest about her attempted suicide and why. Emmett had no shame, either. Spinning dramatic tales of his bear attack and rescues by blonde angels as he repaired his drum, he made it seem like it was perfectly fine what had happened to him. He was happy in this life, and it showed.

Demitri was different...and so much older than we'd expected. He'd been changed in the late seventeen hundreds, though he didn't name the exact year. He also didn't explain how he'd come to be in this life. He did, however, explain his tracking talent, the Volturi, and a little of how he'd changed Carina. From what I could see in his mind, Demitri's early years were extremely violent under Aro's rule, and he despised it, was embarrassed by it, especially compared to the life he had now. The last few years more than made up for his first few centuries.

Jasper held a solemn face when he set his guitar aside. Alice joined him on the ottoman, though she said nothing to him. Of all of us, Jasper's life prior to becoming a Cullen was the most horrific. He'd been a pawn, he'd been a demon, and he'd enjoyed it, for the most part, and that was the part of himself that he struggled to forgive every day since meeting Alice. He loathed that he'd been with another woman, wishing he'd only ever known his mate – something that he envied of those of us that only knew our significant others. It was a secret only I knew, and I never made mention of it.

He spoke softly of the Civil War, of being an officer and a God-fearing gentleman, commanding the attention of the room. He also spoke of Maria, though like Archie, he despised uttering his sire's name. When he finished his tale of fighting, blood, and betrayal, he nodded once to himself, like he'd gotten it all out correctly.

_Scars? His whole body?_ Archie noted, though not really to me specifically. _Like the ones on his face and arms? _

"Yes," was the only answer I gave.

Lastly, Kevin sighed, smiling a little. He stood up from his chair with a flourish, taking a deep bow like he was on stage of one of his former Broadway plays. "This is like a meeting...Vampires Anonymous. My name's Kevin, and I'm a gay, mated vampire. I've been changed for a little over a year..."

All the tension, all the sadness left over from everyone's stories faded away instantly as we all chuckled at him. My first worry was that Archie wouldn't understand Kevin, that his blatant, in-your-face attitude concerning his sexual preference would be a shock to him. Despite the fact that they were mated, Adrian wasn't as flamboyant about it. During the time in which Archie and I had grown up, homosexuality was kept close to the vest and cornered into the darker parts of bigger cities as something considered taboo. The fact that Archie had spent his whole human life – not to mention his immortal one – right in that very house led me to believe he was ignorant of certain things.

My anxiousness was only obvious to Bella, who soothed my hand silently. And it was all for nothing because Archie connected the dots quickly, which also told me he'd been way more observant in this house than we were willing to acknowledge. His mind flickered through recent memories of Adrian and Kevin holding hands, stealing kisses, and exchanging words of love. These were things he'd witnessed in the house, both before and after we'd found him, but they were also things he'd witnessed between every mated couple in the room.

But what Archie saw, whether he noted Kevin's statement or not, was Kevin himself. He saw someone completely at ease in his own skin, someone quick to laugh, and someone that was accepted by everyone surrounding him. And now that he knew Kevin had only been changed a year, and to see him so calm, gave Archie yet someone else to look up to.

Kevin quieted down, his smile softer, his mind trying to determine the best way to tell his story without getting emotional. He fiddled with the strings of the bass guitar in his hand as a distraction, only to take a deep breath and let it out.

"I think my story is closest to Bella's," he started, giving his Goddess a wink. "I was human when I met this...this..." He waved his hand around the room.

"Careful," Carlisle warned with a laugh when Kevin grinned.

"When I met my real family," he finished solemnly. "I grew up in New York City. My dad and I didn't get along because I'd disappointed him on many, many levels. He wanted someone to follow in his engineering footsteps, and I wanted Broadway. He wanted me to go to school in New York, but I chose London, just to get as far away from him as possible. It was there that I first met Alice and then Bella."

Alice stood up, wrapping Kevin in a rough hug and leaving her arms around him.

"Anyway," he continued, smiling again, "I was changed in New York after getting pretty damn hurt. I'd already met Adrian, so I knew what I wanted. I'm one of the rare vamps that wasn't changed against my will." He chuckled, and to break up his own emotions, he sang the last line from a song I hadn't heard in years. "I thank the Lord for the people I have found..."

Flickers of different parts of the song went through Archie's mind, but when he hummed a part of it, I chuckled.

"You paid more attention than I thought," I told him with a grin, and the room stayed quiet as I talked to him.

He showed me a brief memory from the mid- to late-seventies. A family had recently moved in, but like us, they'd played music all the time because the two kids were teenagers. The record player was constantly playing something, and one of the girls loved Elton John. Of course, back then, the extremely talented piano player just about put out two albums a year. And I'd owned them all myself.

Archie couldn't control where his thoughts led, so I had no other alternative but to see his bloodlust take over. He'd tried with all that he had not to take one of the girls, but he'd unfortunately lost control. When I flinched and grimaced, he started to get nervous, thinking it was wrong, the word "monster" floating up to the surface once more.

"Archie, stop," I said, trying to keep my voice calm because he was considering his basement for solace. "You're in room filled with people that have made the same mistakes. Please trust me."

_Not Bella, not Kevin, not Rose...and most definitely not Carlisle!_

"They are so rare, Archie. Those names you just mentioned are the only immortals I've ever met that have truly abstained from human blood. We are what we are, but some are just...much stronger than the rest of us," I told him, placing a hand on Bella's shoulder at the same time I jerked my chin to Carlisle and Rose. "No one blames you for any of it because you had no one to show you." My tone concerning Victoria might've come across a bit harsh, but my hate for her had reemerged since finding out she'd been the one that not only changed him, but abandoned him, as well.

_You!?_ He seemed shocked, which only cause a snort of derision to escape me.

"That's a long story, and I promise to tell you all about it," I vowed, but I didn't feel like airing my rebellious time with the entire room. It was a time I was not proud of.

My eyes locked with Carlisle's as he asked me a silent question. _He's showing you some of his past, isn't he?_

With a quick nod to him, I turned back to Archie. "Would you like to hear the song?" I asked him, smiling when he said yes. "I'm sure Kevin knows it."

"Hells, yes. We used to sing it in my music classes because it was about my home town," he said with a laugh, but a wicked gleam crawled over his face, and he folded his arms across his chest. "But I'd like to _see_ my audience."

I laughed, shrugging a shoulder and pointing toward Archie. "That's up to him."

"It's a fair request," Carlisle stated, his mind hoping that the give and take we'd started with him would continue to work. "We've all given up our stories, so it's only fair, Archie. If you do this, then when the boys are done, I'll get you fed," he bargained.

The room held its breath as Archie debated. I wasn't sure if he'd reveal himself, and Alice's visions were sporadic, at best, because he changed his mind many, many times. He'd only just started getting comfortable around Carlisle, Bella, and myself, so the rest were way beyond curious as to what the poor man looked like. But it was Esme's motherly tone that really worked on him.

"You know, Archie," Esme suddenly piped up with a soothing voice. "I like to see all my kids inside this house. It's how I make sure they're okay." Her smile was sweet, but she meant it, and it may have been the only thing that changed his mind because he had been leaning toward leaving the room.

_Oh, he's gonna do it!_ Alice squealed in my head, and I rolled my eyes her way as I saw his decision in her mind.

_It's only fair, it's only fair..._ Archie chanted to himself. He kept thinking if we could tell such personal things, offer all our help, then the least he could do was act civil and sit in the room like the rest of us. Again, Bella's sharp-tongued comment about manners flickered to the forefront – something that made me kiss the top of her brilliant head. He'd forgotten what he'd been taught, even though he'd come from a time when propriety and conduct had to be at their best.

There was a brief flicker at the basement entryway, and then there he was. He was wrapped around himself in the usual manner, knees up, but he was leaning back against the open bookcase door away from everyone else. He looked so damn nervous that if he'd had the capability of sweating, he'd have been drenched.

Several thoughts hit me all at once. Carlisle was proud of Archie for facing his fears. Demitri was eying the immortal up, but shook his head at his fear-filled body language. Carina, Esme, and Rose all "aww'ed" at him because, like Bella, they found him to be "cute." All of my brothers gazed at him in non-judgmental sympathy, but the biggest of us was the first to speak.

"Oh there you are!" Emmett gushed, grinning widely. "Nice to meet you, dude. Don't you sweat anything," he said, puffing out his chest as he placed a hand over his heart. "No one's gonna mess with you. I got your back."

Bella giggled but covered it up with her hand. Having seen Archie before, she simply gave him a silent once-over, making sure he was okay before saying, "Hey, Archie."

"Gracious," Kevin whispered. He was more shocked at poor Archie's appearance than actually _seeing_ him.

"Oh, sweet pea, you need some serious cleaning up," Alice stated the obvious, but her gaze snapped to Bella.

"Leave him. He's not ready for a full on makeover!" Bella growled protectively, rolling her eyes. "He doesn't need name brands." Her temper only made Alice and Kevin grin like fools, not offended whatsoever.

Jasper chuckled, the first sound he'd made in a while, and stood up from his ottoman. Archie flinched and kept a wary eye on him as he traded out his electric guitar for a smaller instrument that was hanging on the wall – a mandolin.

He returned to his former seat, tugging Alice down next to him without saying a word to her. "We doing this Elton John song or not?" He grinned when we all stared at him. "What? The man's a poet...and God knows you played him enough in the seventies, Ed..."

Chuckling when Bella barked a laugh and glanced up at me, I said, "Sue me."

But Jasper quickly switched to thoughts. _Damn, brother... You really gotta hand it to him. He's doing his damnedest, isn't he?_

I nodded to let him know that yes, Archie was really pushing his limits at this point.

"Oh sure!" Emmett huffed, pouting like a child. "I get my shit fixed, and you pick a song without drums."

"Shut up," Kevin huffed, rolling his eyes. "It's not all about you, drummer boy."

Archie rested his chin on his arms that were folded atop his knees. This was something he wasn't used to, and he loved to witness it. The sibling bickering was entertaining to him, and he found some sort of comfort in it. It reminded him of human friends and their families. Bella had always said that even when she was human, she loved to just absorb the family dynamic, even if she had nothing to add. It was insulting and filled with jibes, but the love in the room was absolutely palpable to her.

"You all right, son?" Carlisle asked Archie, and he nodded once. "They can be obnoxious. Don't judge us all on the actions of my children."

That statement caused us all to call out, "Hey!"

"Hush, Dr. Feel Good. We gotta song to play," Kevin scoffed, waving him away with a flick of his fingers, but he adjusted the bass guitar across his shoulder before looking to me. "Ready, Heavy E? You'll sing harmony?"

"Yeah..." I nodded, starting the song on the piano.

Kevin's voice was perfect for the song "Mona Lisas and Madhatters" by Elton John, though it was in a deeper key than he usually sang. But I could see why he liked the song. It was about the busiest city in the world, about broken dreams and being grateful for friends and family. It had shown the change in times back then to me, talking about people who donned masks just to get through the day, about being so busy that they didn't know whether it was night or day.

_And now I know  
Spanish Harlem are not just pretty words to say  
I thought I knew,  
But now I know that rose trees never grow in New York City_

Kevin smiled when he added the bass softly, but it was the next verse that meant something to him because at the time that he'd learned the song, his father was hating that he was in the theater.

_Until you've seen this trash can dream come true,  
You stand at the edge while people run you through.  
And I thank the Lord that there's people out there like you.  
I thank the Lord that there's people out there like you._

I joined him on the chorus, smiling down at Bella when she gazed up at me. She didn't know the song, but she liked it, and she thought that Kevin's and my voices sounded good together.

_While Mona Lisas and Madhatters  
Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers  
Turn around and say good morning to the night.  
For unless they see the sky,  
But they can't and that is why,  
They know not if it's dark outside or light._

Smiling when Jasper started with a light, easy sound on the mandolin, I nodded to him. The sound was good. Really good. And it was completely different than anything we'd played.

_This Broadway's got,  
It's got a lot of songs to sing.  
If I knew the tunes I might join in  
I'll go my way alone  
Grow my own, my own seed shall be sown in New York City._

_Subway's no way for good man to go down.  
Rich man can ride, and the hobo, he can drown.  
And I thank the Lord for the people I have found.  
I thank the Lord for the people I have found._

Kevin and I ran through the chorus one more time, but when we ended the song, the room was lighter, easier. However, the song had brought back Archie's memories, and he swallowed hard.

"You're thirsty, Archie," Jasper simply said with a nod. "You don't have to fight it, buddy."

Archie nodded, looking to me. _He can feel it?_

"Yes, he can feel your thirst," I answered. "And he has no other alternative but to push it back out to all of us, so we all feel it."

"Okay, so let's get you fed, Archie," Carlisle stated, starting to stand.

By now, everyone knew the drill. Adrian and Kevin needed to leave the house, and usually the rest went with them. Guitars were put away, Archie vanished but made his way downstairs, and soon it was only Carlisle, Bella, and me left in the library. I glanced out at the backyard, where a small game of football was breaking out.

"I'll do it," I sighed, getting up from the piano. "He wants to hear about me," I said softly, knowing the two left in the room would know what I was talking about.

"About when you left?" Bella asked, looking between me and Carlisle.

I huffed a humorless, dark laugh as I gazed down at my beautiful girl, a snarky question about which time on the tip of my tongue. I let out a breath and nodded when her eyebrow raised up in a warning, her mind telling me that all was still forgiven and she knew which time I'd meant.

A firm hand gripped my shoulder, and I knew that Carlisle would know what I was feeling. His thoughts were comforting, even though they were something I'd already realized. _Like you told him...we've all made mistakes, my son. You have come so far since then. Perhaps him knowing us will help him to trust us that much more._

"Can I stay with you?" she asked, and I chuckled at her eager expression.

"Like I'd say no, my Bella," I told her with a laugh, dropping a heavy kiss to her forehead and inhaling deeply the scent of her. How just that simple act could calm me, soothe my prickling nerves about the upcoming conversation, I had no idea, but it did. Completely.

"Guys against girls again!" we heard Alice yell outside, and Bella and I laughed.

"Go," I growled dramatically, pushing at a chuckling Carlisle. "See if you can win that. I want to know what these crazies are doing to us for Halloween..."

"Edward," Bella snorted into an adorable giggle, shaking her head a little as her thoughts cut off abruptly.

"What?" I asked innocently. "Without us, they're even."

"I'll see what I can do, son, because heaven forbid they dress you inappropriately," Carlisle teased with a raised eyebrow as he remembered Bella in a Catholic school girl costume in London.

I laughed, my head falling back. "Exactly!"

Bella and I followed him through the house, stopping at the kitchen.

Before he left out the back door, he turned to me. "Good luck, and give him as much as he needs. His thirst will be sharper this time, I think."

"Yes, sir," I agreed, and he left us to it.

I decided it was best to just take a handful of bags downstairs, and Bella held her hands out silently to carry a few. Her mind was still closed to me – whether on purpose or without thinking, I wasn't sure. There was a part of me that guessed that maybe she was just giving me time to sort my thoughts before having this conversation.

We descended the steps together, and Bella smiled as we caught Archie gazing out the small window at the ongoing football game outside. He was standing at his full height, and I'd been correct. He was just a little shorter than myself. He was lean, though his muscle-tone had improved greatly since he'd been feeding well. Laughter and catcalls wafted in as rules were laid down, bets were made, and coins were tossed.

"I don't know why they bother with rules. We all cheat anyway," Bella said with a giggle.

Archie turned away from the window, and I had to chuckle at the wry smile he was fighting as he slid down the wall into a sitting position. He really liked my wife, and not in a way that was disrespectful. He appreciated her candor, her bravery, and her sense of right and wrong. He thought she was beautiful, of course, but he thought that of every woman in the house. But what he noticed most was that she treated him no differently than she treated her brothers, and that made him feel welcome, wanted. Human.

And therefore, when she poured his first cup, walked to him, and handed it over, he barely even flinched. He was improving. But he also noted her eyes were brown.

"She keeps them that way on purpose," I said aloud. "For me, mostly, but it does help her blend in when we're out in public. Her shield allows it."

Bella smirked, glancing between us. "My eyes?" she asked, and Archie nodded, holding out the cup when he was finished with the first bag. "Yeah, forgot to mention that when I explained my shield. I don't even think about it anymore." She poured another cup for him, smiling a little wider. "Underneath, they're gold, like everyone else's, but Edward's spoiled and likes my original color, so I leave them brown," she teased, giving me a wink.

Grinning, I shook my head. I couldn't deny any of that, so I said nothing.

_Spoiled?_ Archie asked, taking the next cup from her.

"Very." I laughed, shrugging a shoulder. My laugh died quickly as I watched my girl. "I didn't deserve her when we met – I still don't deserve her – but I try to earn her love every day."

Bella's head snapped up, her face unreadable, but her mind was like a blossoming flower. _You deserve more than you think, Edward._

"Thank you, sweet girl," I sighed, running my hand through my hair because Archie wanted to know why I thought that. "I guess it's a good time to tell you about my mistakes."

When Archie finished off the bags of blood, Bella disappeared upstairs to discard the garbage, only to reappear just as quickly by my side. She sat next to me, her mind quiet.

"I didn't want this life," I stated, hating admitting that because now, I loved every second of the day. "When Carlisle changed me, I fought it. My personality and my newborn phase must have driven him crazy, but he kept me focused. I woke up to..." I grimaced, pointing a finger toward my head. "The voices were loud, and they didn't make sense, especially when Carlisle was the only person in the room. I could hear so many things, see so many things, but they didn't seem real. It took a long time for me to realize that it was thoughts I was hearing. I'd answer Carlisle's internal question instead of the one he was actually asking me.

"I could hear neighbors, the mailman, people driving by on the street. I thought I was going insane," I groaned, gripping my hair. "By the time Esme came along, I was just starting to get used to it, but then she added another element to my life. I love her like my human mother, but there is only so much you want to hear in the minds of a newly mated couple." I sighed deeply, shaking my head. "Actually," I said with a chuckle, "there's _nothing_ you should hear in the minds of a newly mated couple." I shot my smirking girl a wink and then turned back to Archie.

I gazed down at my hands, taking a deep breath. "I understood what Carlisle's diet meant. We didn't want to be monsters," I stated, raising an eyebrow at Archie, who nodded one time. "But with this life, and added talents, comes a growing ego. And my talent gave my ego quite the boost. I didn't even have it completely under control yet. Now, I can filter out faraway minds, even narrow it down to one person in a full room of people, but then... Then, I heard everything. And I thought...I thought I'd figured how to use that to two advantages."

Standing up, I started to pace in the open space of his room. I could feel both sets of eyes following my every move, but I ignored them. I knew Bella was letting me tell this at my own leisure; she'd heard it all before and merely wanted to be supportive. Archie, on the other hand, couldn't decide if my talent was a curse or a blessing.

"It's both," I told him, shrugging a shoulder. "It helps me monitor our surroundings, keeps us safe and protected, but then again, I can hear every lie, every foul idea, and every disgusting fantasy about every member of my family." I stopped in the middle of the room and gazed down at the floor. "Knowing that, though, I thought I could provide us a regular diet of human blood while destroying the evil of the world. And I set off to do just that. I left Carlisle and Esme for several years and hunted the lowest of the low."

Archie's mind reacted like most people that had heard this story – that it seemed perfect.

"That's where the ego comes into play, Archie." I huffed a humorless laugh. "I told myself that I was giving Carlisle and Esme space, that I was just in the way, but really, I _wanted _to hunt humans. I was merely rationalizing it.I'd stalk rapists, murderers, and child molesters. I'd take them out just as they were about to do whatever it was that they did, freeing their victim. But I thought..." I held up a finger, smiling ruefully. "I thought I could do better. I thought that if I caught them _before_ they'd even approached their prey, then I could prevent scaring the innocent."

_What's wrong with that?_ Archie asked, tilting his head up at me.

"The problem with that was I'd started policing their minds. Once they'd thought about the act, I became their executioner, and therefore, I was playing God. A thought isn't the act, and I'd forgotten that. I was killing humans for merely thinking stray thoughts. I also took away their chance to change, confess their own sins, and face the consequences of their actions. It wasn't my place to step in." I grimaced because this next part was what shamed me. "I _liked _it, and I honed my skill to get better at it, but it suddenly became more than just killers and rapists. I started to contemplate thieves, drug dealers, and con artists. I became a vigilante against crime in general. And it all warranted a death sentence."

_Oh._ Archie nodded, now understanding where I'd gone wrong.

Bella bit her tongue, believing I saved more lives in the long run than I'd taken, but I wasn't so sure because I'd ended more lives than I cared to admit. I sighed heavily, sitting down next to her.

"It took about ten years of living that way, of hearing every disgusting, vile thing going through every foul human I came across for me to finally cave and go crawling back to Carlisle with my tail between my legs. It was too much. It was never ending. And it still continues today – probably worse – but in order to maintain my sanity, I've had to turn a blind eye to most of it." I clawed at my hair because the next thing out of my mouth was something that had taken decades for me to learn. "We aren't the only monsters out there, Archie. That term isn't reserved for just vampires."

My hands balled up into fists on my lap, and Bella's smaller hand covered them. She tilted my head her way so that I locked with warm, soothing brown.

"I love you," she stated simply, and the three most important words grounded me like nothing else. She turned to Archie, her fingers never leaving my face. "You're not the only one that feels guilt. And feels it strongly, from what Jasper can feel."

_You don't, _Archie countered.

I smirked, my eyes raking over her beautiful face. "He says you don't."

"It's true; I haven't taken a human life, but look at my support system. Do you think he'd let me go through that?" she asked gently, her fingers running through my hair. "Or anyone else in my family for that matter?"

The love that radiated off my calm, sweet girl was practically visible in the room. Archie could see it and was having a hard time reconciling that deep of a connection with what we were. He could see that as beautiful and somewhat innocent as she seemed, it didn't matter what we were. His envy was palpable. He felt jilted and forsaken. Under different circumstances, he might have been normal...or as normal as an immortal could be.

He locked gazes with me, shaking his head slowly. _I didn't want this. She didn't tell me anything._

"I know," I said softly, trying to soothe him.

_She left me, but then again...I didn't give her much choice,_ he sighed, gazing around the room.

"What happened? Show me," I requested, linking my fingers with Bella's.

_It's only fair...it's only fair..._ he chanted again, remembering what Carlisle had said earlier.

His memory started blurry, as most human ones tend to be. Archie was nineteen when he and his mother were hiking in the woods the day she fell, hurting her leg. The snow started to fall and didn't stop.

Archie had a better relationship with her than he'd ever had with his father. William Varner preferred books, science, and politics to hunting, hiking, and providing for his family. It was Elaine Varner that taught their son how to track, trap, and hunt. And they did it together, leaving Archie's father alone in his workshop most days.

As a human, Archie wasn't big, wasn't all that strong, but he was fairly quick on his feet. He tried his best to help his mother back to their house, but they'd walked several miles that day. He didn't feel right just leaving her to run for help, so he opted to wait out the storm, doing his best to keep a fire going, but the winds were too harsh, the snow too heavy.

They hadn't packed for more than an afternoon of walking, so when a few days had gone by, their stores were gone. Using melted snow for water, Archie did his best to take care of his mother, even going as far as moving her to the open mouth of a cave. But it had all been for naught.

Archie wouldn't have known it, but I could see through his memory that Elaine Varner was suffering not only from shock due to her injured leg, but from hypothermia. She wouldn't make it, even when William and a few of his town friends found them. While Archie suffered with chills and fever for days after being rescued, Elaine Varner passed quietly in the middle of the second night back home.

And that began the deterioration of the relationship between father and son.

William Varner became withdrawn at first, stomping about the house like an angry bear. He barely checked on the health of his son, and when he did, his face, his voice, and his words were harsh and abusive. Once Archie had recovered, he avoided his father at all costs, trying his best to stay quiet, stay hidden, because one noise, one word, and William lost his temper instantly. Archie felt like a prisoner in his own home because he wasn't comfortable inside, nor was he comfortable outside. The memories of his mother – both good and bad – swarmed him every time he tried to set foot out the door.

Poor Archie buried his face in his arms as he continued to reconcile everything we'd learned from his father's journal with what actually happened. Archie and William, both frozen in grief and anger, could not find any common ground whatsoever, though at first, Archie had tried.

The first time he went to check his traps, Archie dropped to his knees, getting sick with what I wanted to tell him was an anxiety attack, but he'd only felt weakness. He was successful in bringing home two rabbits, but that was also the first time he'd felt like he was being watched. Whether that was part of his grieving or not, I wasn't sure. It was quite possible. In fact, his next several attempts at hunting went that same way.

Through Archie's mind, I watched the last fight. William was adamant that his son bring home more than just "worthless rabbits." He threatened him with everything that he had, and that included locking him up in the workshop. At this point, I could see that Archie's father had lost all reason. Nothing his son said to him mattered. Pleas of fear, statements of intruders on their property, and declarations of evil walking on Earth all fell on deaf ears.

My fingers gripped Bella's hand fiercely, and she let me, because watching a father actually chain his son to a tree like a stray dog made my temper flare hot and crackling. Archie let go all pretenses of being strong in front of William and was a blubbering mess by the time that he walked away, stating he'd be back the next day to check Archie's progress, but the boy couldn't come home without a deer. There was no option for failure. Archie was going to "become a man, or he could use the shotgun on himself."

It took all I had not to rage in that basement because I knew it was taking everything Archie had to reveal this part of himself to me. I could see it in his mind. It was in the very way he was curling in on himself as his mind continued. He hadn't trusted a single soul in over a hundred years. To mess that up at this point would be tragic. My jaw clenched, my eyes squeezed closed, and my breathing was heavy, but I settled a little when gentle fingers swept through my hair.

When I had stated that William had led his son like a pig to slaughter, I hadn't been far from the truth. As night fell on that first day, there wouldn't have been enough chains to stop what had happened next.

My hatred for Victoria flared anew at the sight of her pale face, her flaming red hair, and the ruthless smirk that she carried. She was exactly the same as the day I'd met her, of course, though her clothes represented the times. Archie's self-preservation saw her for exactly what she was – evil. He noted her beauty, noted how quickly she moved, and noted that she looked at him like he was her next meal. And he was.

She toyed with him, flirted with him, and even was able to calm him a bit. It was the absolute best example of what we were created to do – stalk, hunt, kill humans. Her scent drew him in, her beauty mesmerized him, and her voice was a sensual cadence that not many could resist. She spoke to him of revenge against whatever had chained him to that tree. And his first mistake was telling her.

Knowing Victoria the way I did, I knew that at that moment that she saw not one, but two meals served up on a silver platter. I had to hand it to Archie, though. He tried to escape, tried to defend himself. Just about sunrise,Victoria reached down and shattered the chain around his ankle into dust, freeing him. The moment he scurried away from her, he brought that gun up to his shoulder and pulled the trigger. Only her clothes were harmed, and there was nothing he could've done to stop her. She was atop of him in the blink of an eye, and his human mind was slow to react. By the time it registered that he was being attacked, she was already drinking from him.

His memories became just a bit more hazy due to his loss of blood, but I saw where she'd been stopped. Something had called her attention away from draining him, and she'd stepped away for several minutes. By the time she came back, the venom was already burning him.

It true Victoria fashion, she pitched a fit at the loss of her meal. She kicked him, threw him, and screamed at him. As she watched him howl in pain, a smile crossed her features, and she picked him up effortlessly.

Like all of us, Archie remembered just about every second he burned, though he couldn't remember what happened around him. And just like all of us, he tried his best to negotiate with the Devil himself to make it stop.

When the pain, the burning, and the heartbeats came to an end, Archie woke up angry, confused, and very, very thirsty. My mouth gaped at what Victoria had waiting for him when his newborn eyes finally opened. She had subdued William Varner, beaten him to the point of blood and bruises, and tied him to a chair, using the same damn chain that he'd used on his son. Despite my hatred for her, something about that seemed justifiable.

The cuts and scrapes called to Archie like nothing he could compare it to, and his body now reacted on pure instinct. He launched himself at William, draining him quickly. His father never said a single word before his death.

Archie had been stunned at the aftermath, looking to Victoria for answers. She gave him none. She simply offered him a hand to lead him outside, and that caused a multitude of issues. He refused, she snapped, and suddenly, he disappeared...right in front of her eyes. The fact that he had a talent merely pleased Victoria all the more, so she actually attempted to speak to him.

The very second the word "vampire" left her mouth, Archie couldn't wrap his new mind around it. The only thing he could compare it to was the book _Dracula_, which had come out just a little over twenty years prior. Over the next several days, she tried everything to tempt him. Everything. She tried seducing him, teasing him, and finally, she left, only to bring back the one thing he couldn't resist. Humans.

Unfortunately, he couldn't deny the call of blood, so he showed himself immediately, giving Victoria one more weakness she could exploit. She turned poor Archie into a game, a plaything. She took his fear of going outside, and instead of showing him that he was twenty times stronger than he used to be, she manipulated him into making it worse. She left him for days, sometimes weeks, at a time. She never taught him to hunt, never told him what he truly was capable of doing, and she enjoyed bringing humans in to feed him. She thrived on their fear, his weakness, and treated it all like a game she had complete control over.

But just like everything else Victoria ever did, she lost interest quickly. Instead of gaining a companion, she'd created herself a pet. He hid from her at all times, except when he couldn't resist feeding. He refused conversation, refused her sexual advances, and refused to leave the house. If he'd been withdrawn as a human, it was a thousand times worse as a vampire. In fact, the last words he'd said aloud to her were "kill me, and be done with it." She'd merely laughed at him.

The last time Victoria set foot in the house had been filled with violence and bloodshed. She made the mistake of bringing a human that resembled Elaine Varner way too much to Archie's liking. His restraint, his temper, and his sanity just about came apart at the seams. He absolutely refused to touch the poor woman, which resulted in Victoria killing her in front him. Archie, using his newfound talent, attacked his maker. The fight carried itself down into his father's workshop, where everything in there was destroyed.

I had to give credit where credit was due. Archie came really close to killing her all on his own. But her own talent of escape and his ignorance of how to actually destroy her were the only things that saved her. She left him, never to return.

"Damn, Archie," I seethed, my hands sinking into my hair as my elbows rested on my knees. "Believe me when I tell you that if I hadn't already destroyed her, I would hunt her down just to do it in front of you."

His gaze snapped up from where he'd been sitting. _I wanted to die. I tried to die. Nothing works... I tried to undo what she did._

His mind raced forward through many years. Victoria had left him clueless. Just like Carlisle, he tried to starve himself, tried to hang himself, and tried to burn himself in the sun, thinking _Dracula _had been the key. Nothing worked. He fought what he was every day, unable to deny it when humans would encroach on the property. He fed any way he could, but his fear of leaving the house was engrained in him almost to the point of madness. Throughout the decades, he drank from the homeless passing through, trying to use the empty house for shelter, from children that had lived here when it was an orphanage, from construction workers, new tenants, and animals that he could reach from the back cellar door as he laid in silent invisibility.

Archie had learned to cope, but it was never enough. He never wanted to kill humans – in fact, he preferred to take the animals – but there were times that he was just too thirsty, just too far gone into his bloodlust to stop it. He did all he could to scare humans away, learning to live with the ache, the need as punishment for merely existing, but it didn't always work.

The last time he'd failed was with Lisa Dixon.

He'd forced himself to drain several rats, a cat, and even a lynx, but nothing could stave off what triggered her demise. Lisa Dixon was cooking dinner in the kitchen, and all it took was a slip of the knife, the scent of one single drop of her blood, and the empty house, and she was never heard from again. Her blood only staved him off for so long, but watching Tim and Caroline worry endlessly for almost a year had been the only thing that had stopped Archie from emptying the house completely of humans.

He did the only thing he could do; he begged Tim to get out. He revealed himself to scare him, though in all reality, he'd been unbelievably close to taking the life of a little girl.

I shot up from where I was sitting, beginning to pace again. My hand clawed at my hair as Archie claimed that his rightful place should be in hell.

"No!" I snapped, and he vanished in front of my eyes. "Don't you see? Don't you get it? You had no choice! _You didn't know!_"I growled through gritted teeth.

"Edward, you scared him," Bella chastised gently, but I could hear in her mind that she was more worried about me than him.

"I know!" I sighed, shaking my head. "I know," I said a little softer, "and I'm sorry."

"Archie, it's okay," Bella tried to soothe him. "He's just...upset," she stated warily, approaching me. Her hands on my face, her scent surrounding me calmed me a little, but I knew I needed to get out of the house because the injustice of it all was just too much. He hadn't deserved a single thing that had happened to him. And his endless circle of fear and ignorance and bloodlust hadn't helped him. At all.

Archie reappeared in the exact same place that he'd been sitting throughout the entire story, gazing up at us.

"I'm sorry," I said again, though this time, I was pretty sure it was for his whole life in general. I shook my head, my gaze landing on Carlisle, who must've heard my yelling.

"Son?"

I shook my head again, silently begging him to do something, but I didn't know what. "I have to get out of here."

I could see his conflict, making sure I was okay versus checking on the weakest of us.

"Edward," Bella whispered, forcing my gaze to hers. "Come with me. Carlisle will make sure Archie's got everything he needs. I'm sure he'll catch up. Okay?" she asked, though she shot a quick glance to Carlisle to make sure he was nodding in agreement, both of them thinking I was bearing the weight of Archie's pain on my shoulders, which was something I hadn't done in a very long time.

Nodding, I let her lead me to the stairs, where I locked gazes with my father. "We have... There's..." I struggled to speak. Gritting my teeth, I finally sighed, "We have to clean out that trap door."

Carlisle's face morphed into shock, his thoughts filled with sadness. _They're all down __there, aren't__ they? Every missing person?_

"He had no choice," I stated in a whisper with no emotion, giving Archie one last look. "But he does now."

I left the house, ignoring every thought around me. I could hear Carlisle ask Archie if he was still thirsty and heard the answer well before Carlisle agreed to get him more blood.

But just before I reached the kitchen, I heard my father say, "Archie, we need to talk about cleaning out this room...and maybe yourself, too, son..."

The football game had come to a stop outside, every face filled with worry as I stepped out the back door. The very second the chilly October air hit my lungs, I bolted straight for the woods. I knew Bella was behind me every step of the way, and I knew that if I outran her, she'd track me just fine, but I needed to rage, to break something, because I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Archie would never rage for himself.

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**A/N... This was...by far...the hardest part of writing this fic. When I started this idea, I knew Archie's history would be an ugly one. Hell, as I'm writing it, I'm like, "I really hate William." LOL JenRar laughed at me, because...yeah, he's my character. Anyway, Edward has taken this hard from the get go, but it all kind of boils over when he sees what had actually happened. And we all know Edward...he uses temper first, but I promise there's more to it.**

**I know you'll ask, and there's no one alive in the story that could know and Archie was out of it, so... What pulled Victoria away from Archie when she was draining him? Hmm... I imagined another vamp, and Victoria defending what was hers. Though, she could've investigated a sound. She never was one to really work alone, so I still think some other unknown nomad traveling with her met his demise the same night Archie was changed. It wasn't as important as the rest of the story, but I know you guys get curious. :)**

**So...now you know Archie's whole story...including what was in the trap door. Jasper was right. He was disposing of humans down there, along with storing things he'd collected through the years.**

**For those keeping track of the playlist... Two songs were added (or will be if they can be found...it seems I'm picking rare songs these days):**

"**Rock and Roll" by Led Zeppelin**

"**Mona Lisas and Madhatters" by Elton John**

**That second song was introduced to me by my hubs. I fell in love immediately. First, the piano is extremely complicated and beautiful, and second...the song holds true, even outside the busy city of New York. People work too hard, forget to see the sunlight, and dreams become broken, but you should be grateful for the people around you – friends or family...or friends that have become family.**

**Chapter 12 is almost complete, so it looks good for a Sunday posting. :) So let me know what you think. Until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N... Those of you that chat with me on Twitter and FB know I love all my Edwards, but Angelward is special to me. My first love, so to speak. So know this... THIS chapter made me fall in love with him all over again. Just sayin'. And I wasn't the only one, because my pre-reader, GooberLou, said the same exact thing.**

**For my always betting firefighters... LOL One of you won in this chapter. ;)**

**See me at the bottom...but I'll let you get on with it...**

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Chapter 12

**BELLA**

Edward ran for miles – well into Canada. At one point, I'd actually lost sight of him, but that wasn't exactly a surprise, considering just how fast he was. Fortunately, I was able to track his scent.

My heart broke for him because I knew my husband. He'd always had a tendency to carry the weight of the world on his broad shoulders. I wasn't sure – and I mentally noted to ask Carlisle – if that was something that came with his change, a result of hearing every thought around him, or if Edward Anthony Masen Jr. was just as sympathetic as a human. My theory was that it was a little of both, but I still wanted to talk to Carlisle. In fact, it had been ages since Edward and I had sat down with him to just...talk – something I planned on remedying as soon as possible because ever since moving to Caribou, Edward had been struggling.

I couldn't imagine Archie's story, and there was a part of me that really didn't want to hear it, especially if it had upset Edward this much. But we'd offered our help, and like the song says, "in order to understand the future, you have to go back in time." If we were truly committed to helping Archie, then we had to delve into what made him the way he was.

I sighed deeply, both to catch Edward's scent in the forest and let out a little frustration. This shit was not going to be easy. First things first, though...I needed to calm my sweet Edward down.

The scent of sunshine, honey, and clean linen grew stronger, which led me to believe Edward was close by...and had come to a standstill. Slowing down to a human pace, I stepped lightly through the dense woods. I wanted to give him time, but not too much. He'd wallow in his misery if left for too long.

I stepped into a small clearing, my eyes aching with the need to shed tears at the sight of him. His shoulders were tense, but almost slumped in posture. His fists were balled up at his sides, and his back was to me. He stood perfectly still, only his heavy breathing giving movement to his graceful frame.

"Shield yourself, Bella," he said almost so softly I didn't hear him.

"Edward..."

"Just fucking do it!" he snapped, and my first reaction was to be pissed, but I slammed my shield down around me anyway.

"Okay." My voice was tentative, but I had an idea what he was about to do.

In a blur of movement, he darted from one side of the clearing to the other. Trees snapped under his strength, growls and snarls echoed around us, and a boulder was wrenched from the ground and thrown as easily as a child throws a baseball. Pine needles, twigs, dirt, and leaves showered down around me, but they slipped down my shield to my feet.

When Edward stilled again, the clearing was at least another thirty feet wider in diameter, the air reeked of pine sap and wet earth, and his eyes were a blazing black heat as they finally locked with mine.

"You done?" I asked calmly, folding my arms across my chest as I leaned a shoulder on the tree next to me.

He shot me a brief but withering glare, saying nothing as he surveyed his surroundings. Immediately, a hand clawed at his windblown hair, knocking pine needles to the ground.

"There's..." he started, his voice rough and raspy, but he shook his head. "There is no justice for him," he finally said, though it was soft and a touch sad.

"Yeah, there is, sweetheart," I soothed, now understanding his reaction – he couldn't just _fix__ it_. He couldn't make sense of what he'd seen. Had Victoria – or even William Varner, for that matter – still been alive, he'd have ended them immediately, simply for what they'd done to Archie.

"You've already done it. She's gone, Edward. _You_ did that." I pointed a finger at him, glad he was talking, at least. There was a time when he wouldn't have spoken so quickly.

His nose wrinkled as he nodded in acceptance, but he took a deep breath and let it out.

"You can't kill her again, baby," I said with a little bit of teasing to my voice, smirking when he rolled his eyes my way. "It's true." I laughed once, shrugging a shoulder. "I'm sure you'll tell us all what his story is, but seeing the end result tells me it wasn't easy."

"He never stood a chance," he stated firmly, his eyes glaring at the ground with a faraway glaze to them.

"Well, you know how I feel about that," I said, urging him to keep talking because as long as he was talking, he wasn't clearing the forest of young saplings. "Everyone deserves a choice, but sometimes, fate takes over."

I stepped closer, finding an old fallen tree to sit down on. I thought about calling him to me, but he didn't look ready.

"You're talking about me," he said, his voice just a little too growly and disbelieving for my taste, but I nodded.

"I'd like to _think_ that you were changed for me," I said haughtily, waving a hand at the air in a dismissive gesture. "But I'm a little selfish when it comes to everything about you." I watched him fight a smile...and win. Sighing, I went on. "Maybe...just maybe...Archie is here for some other reason."

"He's been stuck in that house for over a hundred years, Bella! What possible plan could fate have for that?" Edward snapped, rolling his eyes again as he pointed toward the south.

"And the one family that moves in is the only group of people that can really help him. Us. Stop yelling at me, Edward," I growled right back. "I'm not the enemy. There is no enemy. You killed her over seven years ago." I couldn't take not touching him any longer. "Please come here..."

He frowned, shoving his hands into his front pockets. The stubborn thing knew that the moment I touched him, his anger would dissipate, and he fought it like a child.

"Just fucking do it," I said, smirking as I used his own words against him.

Instantly, he appeared in front of me, falling to his knees. "I'm sorry... I should never have..."

I covered his lips with my finger at the same time that I brushed an errant curl from his forehead. Kissing his wrinkled brow, I inhaled the scent of him.

I _tsked,_ shaking my head. "I'm not mad, though I should be...yelling at me like a crazy man..." I muttered the last words teasingly, wanting to kiss him stupid when his face morphed into the most adorable contrite expression. "But there's nothing that can change what happened to him, baby."

With my hands on either side of his handsome face, I kissed his lips briefly. His still-dark eyes were slowly lightening up to the sweet, warm honey that I loved, though his jaw was still clenching under my touch.

Tilting my head at him slightly, I frowned a little. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Without telling me what happened to him, because I know you'll only want to tell it once, what about this is bothering you so much, Edward?" I asked, tracing his bottom lip with my thumb and smiling a little when he kissed it.

He was so quiet for so long that I feared he wouldn't answer, but slowly, he pulled me into his lap. "I need to touch you, sweet girl," he said simply, and this time, his voice was back to the smooth, silken tone that I was used to. His brow furrowed as his forehead fell to mine while his hands gently coursed over my head and down my back. He took a deep breath and then let it out, pushing his scent across my face. "I feel...ashamed, Bella," he confessed softly, looking like he could cry if he'd had the capability. "I've complained about my life, hated what I was for so long that it has become a part of me. You've tried since the day I met you to tell me differently, but I didn't listen. I didn't want to. I love that you love me that way, but it never really sank in, you know?" he asked, tapping his temple.

I smiled a little at his boyish face that looked just a bit confused.

"I know the joke between us is that I'm spoiled," he said, smirking when I giggled a little. "But I never knew – until now – just how truthful that statement was...and to what extent." He pulled back a little, though his hands never stopped touching me – my hair, my back, the outside of my legs straddling his. "I _really_ had it easy..." That confession seemed to be the most difficult thing he'd ever said because it came out through gritted teeth.

"You compare yourself to him, but you shouldn't," I told him. "I get it. I mean, you're from the same time, you're the same age, but your paths are different. Sweetheart, there will always be someone worse off than we are. You of all people should understand that," I soothed him, tapping his temple lightly. "You hear it every day. Abused children, homeless families, heartbroken souls...I can't imagine the list of heartache you could relay. What makes you extraordinary is that you hurt for them, whether you act upon it or not."

"I didn't always..."

"No, but you do now," I countered. "Edward, you have always carried everything so close to your heart. Always. You know you can't fix everything, but that doesn't mean that you can so easily ignore what you hear. I hurt for you for that."

"You shouldn't," he argued, frowning. "I'm used to it."

"But I do," I said with a smile. "When I first met you, when I figured out what you were, what your talent was, and saw you with your family, I realized the roles you played. You're the older brother, protective and firm. You're the oldest son, caring and responsible. And you're the baby...the youngest changed. After all you've seen, experienced, and heard through the years, combined with all those roles you fulfill, you still kept everyone back just a little, kept yourself private. There was just a tiny part of you that no one knew."

"Until you."

"Until me," I agreed, kissing his lips softly. "And I love that I know that part of you...like it's all mine, and mine alone." I grinned a silly, dreamy smile, just enough to make him chuckle, which was music to my ears. "But instead of feeling ashamed of yourself, you should feel grateful. You should take what you are most proud of and share it with someone that obviously needs us."

"I'm most proud of you," he growled sexily. "And I'm not sharing."

"That's not what I meant!" I laughed, my head falling back, and I hummed when his smiling lips met the skin of my exposed throat. "I meant your experiences, your knowledge, and your compassion – because you are compassionate, whether anyone else knows it but me." I grasped his face again. "You knew this stuff, Edward. You honestly didn't need me to tell you."

He huffed a short, soft laugh but looked away from me briefly. "I'm sure I did, but...my temper got the better of me."

"You think?" I teased, but my voice was joined by someone else's.

With a grin, I glanced over my shoulder to see Carlisle approaching.

"How much did you hear?" Edward asked him, setting me back on the log and taking the spot next to me.

"Enough to know she's right," Carlisle replied, wearing a wry smile as he communicated with his son silently while he took a seat on his other side.

Edward nodded, his frame relaxing just a little as his eyes fell to the forest floor, his elbows rested on his knees, and his fingers stayed linked with mine. Normally, I would tease them about keeping it vocal, but it seemed needed in this case. My thoughts had been shielded since we'd left the house, so I hoped that whatever Carlisle was telling him would sink in, considering that his was the only mind around for miles. They spoke with quick answers, shakes of heads, and finally, looked to me.

"Yup, still here," I teased them both, wiggling my fingers at them.

"I'm sorry, love," Edward said with a chuckle, kissing my temple. My handsome thing still looked a little frazzled, his face a bit contrite, but he looked calmer, more himself.

Carlisle barked a laugh, shooting a wink my way, but he really was worried about Edward. I could see that much from the solemn look that crept promptly back over his features. He gave his son's shoulder a squeeze, getting up to start pacing slowly.

"Son, why don't you tell us what you saw, then we'll go from there. Okay?" he suggested.

For the next several minutes, Edward explained what he'd seen through Archie's mind, starting with his mother's death and ending with his own mortal one. My lip curled in hatred for everything that poor Archie had been through. I despised William Varner for treating his son like a discarded animal. And my hatred for Victoria flamed anew with everything she'd done to him before and after his change. When Edward was finished, he was almost back to his angry mood again, although Carlisle and I weren't much better.

"He's so broken," Carlisle whispered in dismay, shaking his head. "I see it in his face that he wants so badly to be...normal. But his fears override it."

"Has anyone even asked him at this point if he wants our help?" I asked, looking between the two men. Their silence was my answer. "Don't you think we should? I mean, he's been feeding now, so he can think straight, but he's never really been given any choices of his own."

Edward's brow furrowed, but he nodded. "The way he sees us gives me reason to think that he wants this. He's never really had anyone to show him...anything. So he's now looking to us to lead him." He looked up to Carlisle. "The fact that we don't drink human blood isn't the only reason he doesn't want to. Despite the fact that he likes the taste, the idea that it's human just puts him back into that 'monster' mindset. But in order to change his diet—"

"He has to leave the house," Carlisle concluded for him.

"Exactly. I think Esme would lose her mind if you brought a deer under her roof," I stated wryly, but it was the truth.

Carlisle grinned. "She would. I mean, I could collect animal blood for him, but perhaps it would be an incentive to go outside...even if we just brought the deer to the backyard."

Edward hummed in agreement, turning my wedding ring over and over. "He doesn't like that we're providing for him, but he can't resist feeding. I think he wants to learn, but it couldn't hurt to actually ask him."

We were quiet for a moment, but Edward finally asked a question that had slipped my mind.

"What do we do about that room of his?" he asked Carlisle, grimacing a little.

"Demitri has agreed to handle it, with our help, of course, but Archie won't let us look yet. To be honest, I think he's waiting for you, son," he remarked, and I noted a touch of pride flickering across his face. "What did you see down there?"

"It's..." Edward started to answer but then paused and shrugged a shoulder. "It's exactly what you're thinking. It's a room that still stores some wine and alcohol. That was William's true secret room. It's now...a crypt. Archie buried them as best he could, because the floor is dirt, but after this many years, he's pretty much run out of room. It wasn't very big to begin with."

The girly part of me simply could not stop the shiver of disgust that wracked my frame. The mere thought that our home sat atop a crypt freaked me out a lot. I was pretty sure that it was written all over my face because both men snickered at me. But the instinct to remain secret, to survive as an immortal, also told me that we needed to hide and dispose of all the bodies down there. However, the human aspect of it all came flying out of my mouth.

"Those missing people will remain missing...always," I sighed, thinking of Tim and Caroline Dixon and how they could so use some closure.

"Unfortunately, yes, little one," Carlisle concurred softly, kneeling in front of me. "Even if we set it up so that they're found in another state, or even here in Canada, every single person leads back to that house...and to Archie."

"And to us," Edward added, his face sweet and filled with understanding as to why I'd said something.

"I know, I know." I waved their concern off, nodding a little. "I get it." I leaned into Edward when he wrapped a loving arm around me.

My thoughts were still closed to him, and I was a little grateful for that because I wondered just how long Lisa's family really held on to false hope, despite the appearance of Archie that last night – they had declared her legally dead, but I didn't like the idea that poor Caroline would never know for certain her mother was really and truly gone. Hell, even my own mother, who thought Edward and I had died in a fiery car crash, had gotten some sort of closure at our "funeral." Tim and Caroline had never gotten that, and something about that made me sad.

"Hey," Edward called softly, tilting my chin up so he could look at my face directly. "Open this to me, sweet girl," he commanded gently as he tapped my forehead lightly before tucking my hair behind my ear. "I really don't like this face."

I gasped dramatically, which caused Carlisle to crack up. "You should love all my faces," I countered with a put-on scowl.

"I do. All of them. Though, some more than others," he teased, waggling his eyebrows, which made me collapse into a fit of giggles and Carlisle to mutter something about Emmett. "But that one made me nervous." Edward chuckled, constricting his fingers until my face was all scrunched up. He dropped a silly, sloppy kiss to my puckered lips.

I smiled, kissing him once more as I opened my mind for him. "I was just feeling...sympathetic toward the Dixons. It's a shame there will always be a 'what if' in the back of their minds, you know?"

Carlisle had been watching us with a smile on his face, but it fell when I made that last statement. "I wish we could do it differently, Bella, but with the advancements in forensics now, there isn't any choice. Plus, you also run the risk of the accusations toward Tim Dixon coming to fruition. They assumed he killed his wife and was hiding it. If her body shows up now, they may still implicate him. There is no statute of limitations on murder. And a ten-year-old case would warrant big publicity, as well."

"Oh, hell," I groaned. "Can't do that, either."

"Caroline would lose her father, too," Edward pointed out, wincing at the idea. "That's not fair. He didn't do it."

Remembering what it was like those few years when Charlie thought I was dead made my heart hurt, so I understood that it would be torture for Caroline without her only parent. And that simply made me want to call my dad just to hear his voice.

With a nod, I said, "Okay," standing up from the log and pulling Edward up with me. "So what now?" I asked, looking between the two. I loved them both with a sickness sometimes. However, I could see that Carlisle had something to say, because even Edward turned toward him.

Carlisle grimaced a little, but let out a slow breath. "The road ahead may not be easy, and with you two... Well, I just want to make sure that you're paying attention to your connection. I know you don't need me to tell you, but I can't help but worry."

"That wasn't what this was, Carlisle," Edward countered with a shameful expression. "I've come to some new...conclusions about myself," he started, looking a little uncomfortable and very young as he shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, but he continued on. "I should thank you, actually...for what you've given me. I'm not sure I've ever done that."

I kept quiet, but Carlisle's face was filled with a bit of shock.

"Son, you owe me...nothing," he told Edward in a tone of voice that sounded in awe, and once again, they communicated silently.

"I...I know...but you deserve the respect," Edward stated firmly, his face almost dark with how much he meant it.

"Look at me, Edward," Carlisle sighed, but he was wearing a smile as he gripped his son's shoulder. "For many years, I thought I'd condemned you to this life. I worried that you were too young. I considered that asking you to bear the weight of our security on your shoulders was just too much. I watched you struggle with your gift, flounder in your beliefs, and come so very close to hating us all in your loneliness." Edward started to argue, but Carlisle cut him off. "Everything I did, everything I continue to do for you...for all of you...is what I wished someone had done for me. It's the reason you feel the call to help that poor boy back home. Do you understand?" he asked, his eyes flickering to me, as well.

Edward and I both nodded quietly.

"Good, because every battle that one of you wins, is a win for me." He sighed deeply, looking weary. "When you came home after those ten years, when Jasper overcame the struggle with his diet, when Bella conquered her shield and her abuse, when Alice finally was able to remember her past, when Rose found Emmett, giving her something in this life worthy of letting her hatred go...all of those things made _my _life worth it. I don't need thank yous, Edward. Watching you flourish after decades of misery may be my biggest battle won yet," he declared with a bit of a smile toward me.

Edward glanced down at me, his face filled with an unreadable expression, but his eyes said it all. They were warm and sweet and filled with a glow that told me his love for me was just under the surface, just on the tip of his tongue. And I could well imagine that Carlisle was showing his son the mental pictures of just what Edward had looked like before me and then after.

"I'm selfish in all of my children's successes," Carlisle said, shrugging a shoulder in an uncharacteristic manner. "But I can't say that I'm sorry...not for any of you. But I most certainly don't want thank yous. There's a term for what you're doing for Archie..."

"Paying it forward," I whispered, causing both men to turn to me.

"Yes, ma'am," Carlisle agreed proudly. "He hates this life. He's been alone and scared and confused. You love your life, Isabella. Show him why." He locked gazes with Edward. "She's right. Don't be ashamed that you felt cheated, because it doesn't matter now." He gestured to me. "Be proud that you came through on the other side a better man. This is a long life we live, and he could start over...really start _living_ right now, with our help. It'll require patience and kindness and possibly a firm hand. And it'll most definitely require _you_ to help communicate because I don't know if he'll ever speak."

"Yes, sir." Edward nodded, but I noted his demeanor was more determined and less angry.

For that alone, I stood up on my toes, kissing Carlisle's cheek, because I was pretty sure Edward needed to hear that more than anything, and I wondered if we shouldn't have had this conversation ages ago.

Instead of saying thank you, I simply whispered, "Love you," against his jaw. And in order to break the seriousness of the situation, I added, "But I'm not carrying dead bodies, _Dad_."

Both men cracked up, my husband wrapping his arms around me to pull me into a rough hug.

"No one said you had to, my sweet, beautiful girl," he crooned in my ear as he continued to chuckle.

"Good, because I'm willing to be a team player and all...but no...just no," I told him.

Carlisle kissed the top of my head. "Fair enough, little one." He gestured toward the way we'd come and said, "We should probably get back."

Edward and I nodded, starting to follow him, but a wicked smirk crawled up my husband's beautiful face.

"Speaking of team players... Who won the football game?" he asked Carlisle, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning when he apparently got his answer as to whether or not the boys got to hear what we were dressing them as for Halloween.

"Aw, hell," I groaned, shaking my head, but I sealed my thoughts off from him, much to his disappointment. With a giggle, I said, "You may get to find out, but I'd rather show you..."

He fought his smile but nodded fervently. "Just tell me this... Is Emmett gonna be a teddy bear?"

I laughed, shaking my head as we took off toward home. "No, Edward."

"That purple dinosaur?"

"Barney?!" I cracked up at the thought, making note for next year. When he nodded, I sighed, "No, Edward..."

"Please tell me he's at least something he'll hate. And you didn't make me a pirate, did you?" he begged, causing Carlisle to laugh so hard that he almost stumbled.

"Shut up, Edward. You'll find out soon enough, I imagine." I glanced over to him to see his pleading face as we ran, and I knew what he wanted. He so badly wanted to have information to hold over his brothers' heads. With a grin, I gave in, opening my mind back up to him. "There. Happy?"

I was actually glad he knew, because while the idea was fun, I sort of needed his input, especially for what I'd picked out for him.

"Really?" he asked, his face looking a little shocked yet very pleased. He grinned so beautifully, dragging his tongue along his bottom lip, that I almost stumbled myself. "That's actually...awesome."

Giggling at his rare use of the word "awesome," I rolled my eyes. "Come on, Edward. Let's get back so you can torture your brothers..."

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

The sun had started to set by the time we drew closer to the house. There was a large part of me that wanted to climb the walls to the attic window, avoiding the family altogether, only to escape with Bella in our room. And not for the first time did I wonder what I'd done in this life or my human one to ever deserve her. She knew exactly what I'd needed – to rage, to confess my shame, and to know that what we were doing for Archie was not out of guilt but as an act of charity.

Carlisle, on the other hand, saw my anger for what it truly was. He knew that the injustice of it all had gotten to me, even though he hadn't known the details. Archie's fears, demeanor, and personality told him that his life had been a travesty. When Carlisle had shown up in that clearing and seen the signs of my temper, his first thoughts to me were a reminder that the old me – the Edward before Bella – wouldn't have stopped running, wouldn't have talked about it until it had almost completely eaten me up on the inside.

And he was right. I couldn't run from her. Despite seeing red with my rage, knowing she was following, knowing that she'd be there when I stopped had been comforting. My beautiful, smart girl knew exactly how long to let me rant, how long to let me wallow, and then she'd put a stop to it using sweet touches, a calm voice, and rational thinking. My anger faded away like an early morning fog once the sun had come out.

Paying it forward.

It really was the easiest way to put it, and it was the right thing to do. It was something Bella did all the time, as well as Carlisle and Esme. My wife considered us blessed and happy, so giving that back to someone – even if it was just a human student in one of our many classes – was important to her. It could be as simple as a kind word to someone rejected by others, or as hefty as a donation to a worthy cause. To Bella, they were all the same. We were giving back.

My Bella also respected Carlisle to the ends of the Earth and back, so to her, he was the utmost example of how lucky we truly were. He was kind, giving, and sympathetic to those around him, and he'd provided every single member of his family with a safe place to land, no matter what mistakes or bad choices they'd made.

And it was that last thought that helped me find determination instead of anger. Archie had found the safest place to land, even though we had technically found him.

I slowed down, and Carlisle and Bella followed suit. The minds from the house were loud, concerned, and frustrated, but the strongest of those was Alice.

_Edward, it's Bella that has to talk to him. Not you._ Her vision was clear. Bella's sweet smile and Archie's trust in her was going to be the key to cleaning out that room of his. _I saw him decide to tell you about his change. Believe me, we all wish we could kill Victoria again._

Chuckling, I came to a stop and waved my girl to me. Placing my hands on either side of her sweet face, I said, "Alice says it's you that has to speak to Archie. Not me. He'll listen to you, Bella."

Her brow furrowed, but she nodded.

"Bella?" Carlisle verified.

"Archie sees her as an older sibling of sorts," I tried to explain. "She takes care of him, but she's not afraid to put him in his place." I grinned when his mind told me she did that for me, as well. "Yes, and then some."

"I don't know," she hedged, but Bella's mind was open again, and she was a little disappointed. She'd really had other plans.

"Sweet girl, once you've talked to Archie, you can call Charlie. I promise," I vowed, making sure she knew that particular thought hadn't slipped by me. "And you can show me that brilliant costume idea when you get off the phone."

She giggled, nodding again. She actually was kind of glad she could tell me because she wanted my input.

"I'm all yours when we're done, but we need to clean out that room soon." I glanced toward the house, hearing Alice's quick mind. "Otherwise, we'll be stuck inside for days, due to a snow storm. The snow won't make it any easier to...do what we have to do," I told her cryptically, because according to Carlisle's and Demitri's idea, we'd have to not only scatter the bodies all over the state, but rebury them rather deeply in the ground. Snow would make our movements visible. If we did it prior to the snow, then all would be covered up once the storm was over.

"And waiting any longer won't make it any easier on him," Carlisle added with a slight grimace.

"Okay," she agreed, stepping forward to kiss my lips softly but too quickly for my taste. Her mind told me that she loved me – something that never got old no matter how many times she thought it or said it out loud.

"Love you, too," I replied immediately, linking our fingers together and making our way back to the house.

Demitri, Carina, and Esme were outside, but they were speaking with Marcus on the phone at the far end of the backyard. However, the latter met Carlisle halfway across the yard. My siblings were all in the library. Jasper's first thoughts were concern for me, but he could feel that I wasn't as angry as before. Rose, like Bella, was a little disturbed of what had been beneath the house this whole time. Kevin and Adrian were sitting together on the sofa, their minds a little saddened because they'd all been told Archie's story at this point by Alice. And Emmett really just wanted to help the "little guy downstairs."

Alice, however, was eying Bella like a traitor. "You told him."

"You lost the football game," Bella snarked back, wearing a smirk. "Don't come crying to me."

"What?! You know?!" Adrian, Emmett, and Jasper all bellowed at the same time, wearing matching faces of jealousy and curiosity.

Grinning shamelessly, I nodded, thinking this was another reason that I wanted Bella alone. I so owed her for giving me this moment. My father and my brothers may have won the football game, but the girls and Kevin had held out simply to torture them. It was that last person that spoke up.

"Hot, yeah?" he said with a grin. "Beats a mermaid any day. You have serious issues, Heavy E," he accused, showing me some of Bella's past costumes – cheerleader, Catholic school girl, and Princess Buttercup from the movie _The Princess Bride._ The latter had really been for her, not for me.

Laughing, I nodded. "It's perfect, really."

"Yes, well," he said haughtily, waving away our brothers when they tried to bombard us with questions. "For you, it simply was a matter of praying to the Gucci gods to dress you...and the Goddess, too, for that matter."

Alice and Bella laughed, but it was true.

"And it was all Rose's idea," Bella added, pointing to my smirking sister.

She simply shrugged. "I know you like that shit," she said, shooting a wink my way. "And really, I just wanted to put flowers in Em's hair."

"Wait! What? Flowers?!" Emmett shouted. "Aw, c'mon, babe. No flowers. That shit's not cool."

Alice's mind was filled with laughter as she thought to me, _If you want to torture them a bit more, we don't mind._

"Excellent," I hissed with a grin, rubbing my hands together.

"So tell us!" Jasper growled.

"Not yet. We need to talk to Archie first," I stated, and while it was the truth, it was way too much fun to tease them.

Adrian scoffed, rolling his eyes, but Jasper and Emmett turned to their mates to argue their case. They'd won the game, so they deserved to know. Rose told them they'd find out when we were "damned good and ready."

I was still chuckling as I followed Bella downstairs.

_You're so loving me right now, aren't you?_ Her mind caressed mine in an almost sensual tone.

"You have no idea," I admitted with a snicker and a slow shake of my head. "You're positively brilliant, my beautiful girl."

She grinned, leaning into my kiss to her cheek, but turned her attention to the basement. "Archie, sweetie... Can you let me see you? I'd like to ask you a few questions."

Archie appeared in his usual flickering manner. He was seated on his pile of blankets, almost protectively over his trap door. Without any preamble, Bella walked directly to him, kneeling down to his level. His sharp red eyes watched her every move, but his mind was concerned that he'd upset us.

"Not at all, Archie," I told him. "It was just...a lot to take in. Can you understand that?"

He nodded, his mind saying yes at the same time. Though, he couldn't understand why because it was simply the facts of his life. And that alone was just a somber thought.

Bella tucked her hair back behind her ears, gazing at him, but her mind couldn't decide exactly how to start. Taking a deep breath, she asked the one question we should've asked from the beginning.

"Archie, technically, we've just forced ourselves on you, but I don't think anyone has stopped to ask you if you truly want our help. Do you?" she asked, sitting back on her heels.

Archie's brow wrinkled, and he glanced from me, to her, and back again. His mind was a little shocked, which made his thoughts jumbled.

"She's giving you a choice. If you want our help, we're offering it to you," I explained.

"All your life, you've had no options. I'm giving you one now," she stated firmly. "Trust me, I understand fear, sweetie. And this won't be easy, but you should be given this choice."

His brow furrowed at her, but again, he turned to me. _Fear? What has she ever been afraid of?_

I huffed a humorless laugh, sitting down on the bottom step. "She's as brave as a lioness, I know, but she hasn't always been...protected."

"That's a story for another day," Bella stated, her eyes darkening in a warning toward me before turning back to Archie. "Everyone inside this house is willing to share their experience to help you. We're willing to teach you, work with you in order for you never to go back to the way we found you. Or...we can leave you be and move on."

After a century of loneliness, he panicked at the thought of our leaving. He shook his head profusely at her, but she wasn't sure which question he was answering, so Bella turned to me.

"He doesn't want us to leave," I translated.

"Okay, well... You know this won't be easy, Archie." She spoke slowly, nervously, because she was about to explain what he had to do. "You'll need to face every fear, trust us completely, and eventually, you'll be able to do things for yourself."

He huffed through his nose in a disbelieving gesture.

Again, she posed the question to him, putting the ball back into his court. "Is that something you want?"

There was a reason she was asking, but she wouldn't approach it until he gave an answer, and it was smart thinking. In order to help him, we had to strip him down to basics, and to strip him down to basics, we had to take away everything from his life before we moved in. And that wasn't an easy thing to do with an immortal. Our temperaments were set in stone from the time we're changed. Our attitudes, beliefs, and emotions stayed almost exactly the same. Changes were possible, but they didn't come easily. However, once we adjusted to something new, again, it was unwavering. My life before and after Bella was a prime example of that.

Archie stood slowly and gazed out his small window. His mind was a flurry of fears, memories, and isolation. Bella stood, too, tucking her hands into the back pockets of her jeans, but she didn't even look to me for what he was thinking. She was giving him time.

It was silent down in the basement, but I lost myself in Archie's mind. He remembered growing up in this house, playing as a child in the yard, and watching his dad work in this very room. His brow furrowed as he remembered not really liking his father all that much, but the bond he had with his mother was unbreakable...until her death. It was then he felt unprotected, exposed, and defenseless against the man that blamed him for Elaine's death. The saddest part was that Archie blamed himself, as well.

"It was an accident, Archie," I said softly, and he nodded but didn't turn around. "Your father was wrong for blaming you. It was...an unfortunate chain of events." I sighed, looking to Bella, but I wasn't sure what to say. "I could blame myself for my own parents' deaths. I brought the disease home from school from classmates that had it. Carlisle said my youth kept me alive longer than them. Should I blame myself for something that I had no control over? The flu had taken so many at that point that it was impossible to tell who was next. You couldn't know that your mother's leg had caused an even bigger problem."

Archie spun to gape at me, his mind throwing questions at me left and right.

"I've attended medical school...Carlisle's a doctor. The signs were easy to diagnose through your memories," I explained as gently as I could. "She went into shock when the bone of her leg broke. You did your best to keep her warm and taken care of, but the circumstances were beyond your control. I can't even say she'd have survived back then even with proper medical attention. It may have happened anyway, because it was a risk you took every time you checked your traps. It could just as easily have been you."

Archie turned to face the window again, but his mind shuffled through what I'd said. He couldn't fathom the life I'd led – or any of us, for that matter – despite my immortality, which only added to how ashamed I'd felt about my endless whining. I'd hated my life, yet here was someone who'd had it infinitely worse.

I heard Jasper's mind when he felt determination, saw Alice's vision of his decision, but I never took my eyes off the man in question as he finally faced Bella with dark eyes. He was scared to death, but he nodded at her anyway.

"Okay," she said with a sweet smile. "Then I have another question for you...or a request, really."

He grimaced, which made me chuckle, because he knew what was next, and he was ashamed of how he'd fed.

"Relax, Archie," Bella said with a giggle. "No one's here to judge you, but we need to clean out that room. In order to move on, it's out with the old and in with the new. You have no idea how hard it is to hold Esme back from just hosing you and this room down. And she's dying to give you a real space to call your own."

He fought his smile and nodded, gazing down at himself and around the room. He really didn't want to watch what we were about to do, and the thought of facing what was yet to come was almost making him physically ill, which was impossible.

"You don't have to," I told him. "The house is yours, too, you know. You don't have to wait until we're gone to wander it freely." I smiled when his eyes shot to my face. "We have cameras, and things only went missing when we weren't around, so we weren't sure how else to find out."

_Cameras_... He mused over the word, but I could see that there were a few things in which he needed to catch up as far as technology went.

"We'd be glad to show you," I offered. "You've got some history to learn."

_I know_. He nodded, as well, but the only knowledge he had was from what he could glean from the humans that had come around and from what he'd read in books.

In order to not overwhelm him with our overzealous family, Bella asked, "Archie, do you like to read?" When he nodded, she smiled. "Good. Then maybe we should start you off with some history books. Yeah? Otherwise, Jasper may give you a long dissertation of military history, and you'll be bored to tears."

My chuckle turned into full-on laughter when Jasper's offended, "Hey!" wafted down to the basement.

Archie gazed up at the ceiling, a small smile curling the corners of his mouth, but he liked the feeling of being included. He'd watched us for so long prior to us finding him that now that he was getting to know us, he liked it.

Bella held out her hand to him, which put me on a bit of alert. It was the first time anyone had attempted to physically touch him. The fact that she was my mate made me possessive and protective, wanting no other man to touch her, but I could see in her mind that she simply thought of him like a lost child. Her heart and soul belonged to me, I knew that much, and I forced that thought to the forefront of my mind as Archie eyed her hand.

"C'mon. I'll take you someplace quiet so you can read...and get out of this room for a few, okay?" she offered gently.

Tentatively, he slipped his hand into hers, immediately feeling comforted and protected. And for a moment, I wondered if that was her shield at work on him. Alice met us at the top of the stairs, holding out a few thick books dedicated to American history and advances, which had been a Christmas present to Carlisle the year before from Jasper.

Demitri stood in the back of the room, watching them with a wry smile on his face and thinking to me, _It's like you've adopted a child, Edward._

"I know," I snorted, shaking my head, but it was more than that. The whole family wanted to help him because the mere thought of staying in one space for so long was inconceivable to them. Every last one of them felt he deserved freedom from his past.

Esme joined Bella on Archie's other side, and they guided him to the dining room table, where Esme opted to sit with him. Bella, however, ascended the stairs to our bedroom. The rest of us looked to Demitri and Carlisle.

"There are two options," Demitri started softly, not wanting to spook Archie, who was completely absorbed in whatever Esme was telling him, despite the fact that he was nervous being out of his room. "We can fill that hole with concrete or dirt, sealing it up, or we can dispose of what's down there," he said, choosing his words carefully. "Doing that, we'd have to split up into several different directions."

"I think the girls would be more comfortable if we emptied it," Jasper affirmed, giving me a glance.

"He's right," I concurred. "However, I think once it's empty, we should seal it, because I think Esme's going to get to work in there."

Carlisle chuckled, not shocked whatsoever that his wife was planning on decorating yet another room. He briefly wondered what Archie would make of it.

"He's fine with it," Alice piped up knowingly with a grin. "However, his first bath will be...interesting."

"Oh hell," I muttered, watching her vision of bubbles, bathwater, and dirt everywhere in Carlisle and Esme's bathroom. I gripped Carlisle's shoulder. "Looks like that falls to you, Dr. Cullen," I said with a chuckle.

"Fantastic," Carlisle sighed, but he wore a face that seemed okay with it. "Then let's get to work. If we each take one body, then we can get this finished quickly. Emmett, would you and Rose be so kind as to start getting his room prepared for Esme? Close up that passageway, and once we've cleared that bottom room, figure out how to seal it up," he requested, and they nodded in acquiescence.

Jasper, Demitri, and I made our way downstairs, shovels in hand, and Demitri yanked up the trapdoor. It smelled of earth, closed up spaces, and old alcohol. While Carlisle sought out something to conceal and carry the remains, Jasper and Demitri dropped into the darkness below.

Glancing up to the ceiling, I debated on going up to see Bella, but Alice nudged me.

_She'll be fine. See?_ Her vision was just a second faster than the reality, and I smiled.

I heard my sweet girl's pacing come to a halt and the sound of her body falling to our bed, but nothing beat her voice. "Hey, Dad...just checking in..."

"Hey, sweetheart. How are things?" Charlie answered with a slight chuckle.

"Things are...interesting, but I want to hear about you," she told him, but really, she just wanted to listen to her dad talk. "So...what's new?"

"Come on, Ed," Jasper called with a laugh from below, tossing a shovel at me. I caught it swiftly, falling through the hole to land next to him, but his thoughts were solemn. _We'll get done fast and get you back._

Swallowing thickly, I nodded and stuck the shovel into the loose dirt.

~oOo~

**BELLA**

I dropped my phone down onto the bed next to my side, letting a long, slow breath out as I rubbed my aching chest due to Edward's absence. I wasn't sure I'd ever talked on the phone that long, not even when I was a teen. I'd been on the phone for at least two hours. But it had been really good to talk to Charlie, and what was even better was that several of my friends from the reservation had shown up at his door, so I'd gotten to speak with them all.

Jake was doing well, Sue was taking amazing care of my dad, and the kids were all growing up so fast. Even Jessica, who was married to Quil, sounded so much more mature. Something about that was a little unnerving because I was...exactly the same. It made me feel so separated from them, apart from my dad.

The teasing, the laughter, the old jokes were the same. Jake's voice had brought back good and bad memories of not only riding motorcycles, but loud, aggressive fights. All of it combined made me miss Forks with an all-consuming ache, dredged up the feelings of pain and loss, but it also brought a smile to my face at the memory of my wedding and the Cullen house.

Listening intently to the sounds downstairs, I could tell that there were just few of us home. Esme was speaking quietly in the dining room to Archie, who remained silent as ever as he turned the pages of his book, but they'd been joined by Kevin and Adrian. Rose and Emmett were speaking to one another in the basement about measurements and hardware. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered Carlisle calling out that they were leaving and they'd be back soon, but I'd been lost in my chat with Charlie. I assumed that Carina and Demitri had left together, as well as Alice and Jasper, but I was pretty sure that Edward and Carlisle had chosen to go separately. I also wasn't sure exactly how many bodies they'd discovered. I'd tried to tune it all out, to be honest.

Getting up from the bed, I reached underneath it to take out a box I'd hidden. I had to smile at the thought of Halloween, which was just a few days away, because I actually couldn't wait to see Edward in what I'd chosen for him. The discussion with the girls had run the gamut of ideas – movies, superheroes, and yeah, even _Rocky Horror Picture __Show – _but I'd argued vehemently against having Edward prance around in a pair of boxer shorts, despite how adorable he would've been in glasses. It had been Rose with the idea of favorite decades per couple. So that being said, I ran my finger down the prettiest, sharpest suit I'd ever seen.

Chicago gangster. I grinned at the thought. My costume would simply be a dress in the 1920s style, but Edward... Edward would be dressed in black and white pinstripes, black shirt, white tie, shiny black shoes, and a sexy-as-hell black fedora with a white satin ribbon around it. He was going to look amazing.

Emmett was going to flip out. Why Rose had picked the hippies era, I'd never understand, but poor Emmett would be rocking the flowers and peace signs painted on his face, along with bell-bottom jeans and moccasin shoes. Jasper would most likely be very pleased. Alice had picked the Civil War era, leaning a bit more toward the lines of _Gone with the Wind_. His Major costume was as close to the real thing as we could get.

Kevin, however, had taken some cajoling. His first choice had been to stick with the _Rocky Horror_ theme, but not one of us could see poor, shy Adrian even leaving the house wearing nothing but a small pair of gold shorts, never mind that Kevin would be in drag as Dr. Frank-N-Furter. The small festival we'd be attending in Caribou wouldn't have known what had hit it. Instead, we'd helped him see the sex appeal of the 1950s style greasers – jeans, white T-shirts, and black leather jackets.

As far as Carlisle and Esme were concerned, they swore they weren't going. Or if they did, they most definitely wouldn't be in costume.

Leaving the box out so that Edward could see it, I turned, grabbed my laptop, quickly added a song to our ever-growing playlist, and set it back into his port on the stereo. Wandering into our bathroom, I lit candles and stripped out of my jeans and T-shirt, only to pull on a robe and knot my hair onto the top of my head.

The slamming of the kitchen door and hushed voices made me smile. Edward was back. I wanted to laugh at his brusque speech toward Emmett and Rose, not to mention his quiet and polite way of dealing with Esme and Archie, but his footsteps brought him quickly up the stairs.

He burst through the door like his hair was on fire. "I'm so sorry, baby... I didn't mean to go so far. You okay?" he asked in a rush as he automatically closed and locked the door.

"I'm okay," I told him, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Here," I said, tugging the box to my side.

He grinned, all sweet and cocky, but he merely nodded. "I saw it already, love," he whispered, kneeling in front of me and tapping my temple. "It's perfect. All that's missing is the Tommy gun."

"It's on order...should be here tomorrow." I snickered a little at his crooked smile. "And no, it's not real, but that wasn't for lack of Alice trying."

His laugh was beautiful and musical, but he sobered quickly. "How's Charlie?" he asked, trailing the backs of his fingers down my cheek.

"He's good. They're all good, actually," I told him, kissing him quickly and letting him read my mind. It was just easier that way.

His brow furrowed at some of my memories, but he let out a deep breath before pressing his lips to mine in a kiss that was over too soon. My need for him was growing, and I wasn't sure if that was due to his brief separation from me. It had only lasted minutes, but the pain had been sharp, making it hard to breathe.

"I'm all yours," he whispered, repeating the vow he'd made earlier, but his face was filled with a touch of worry. "Everyone and everything else can wait, my sweet, beautiful girl."

Nodding, I cupped either side of his face. He smelled of dirt and trees and nighttime autumn breezes, but his clothes were filthy.

I smiled a little, meeting his warm, honey gaze. "I added to our playlist."

A sexy laugh huffed out of him, but he nodded. "Okay, now I'm pretty sure you beat me, because I haven't been able to," he said with a chuckle.

"I'm sure," I teased, kissing him again. "Turn it on. Meet me in the bathroom."

"Yes, ma'am," he stated softly, and I could feel his eyes on me as he remained kneeling for a moment.

Walking into the bathroom, I started the water and smiled when the first few notes wafted in from the bedroom. I smelled him before I heard his shoulder lean against the door jamb. When I turned to face him, he looked confused but pleased at the soft glow of the room.

But it was the words of the song that I focused my mind on, because had this song been around when we had gotten married, I'd have made damn sure we'd have played it, danced to it.

As Guy Sebastian's "Angels Brought Me Here" said words I wanted to say, I walked to Edward.

_It's been a long and winding journey, but I'm finally here tonight  
Picking up the pieces, and walking back into the light  
Into the sunset of your glory, where my heart and future lies  
There's nothing like that feeling, when I look into your eyes..._

Without meeting his ever-darkening gaze, I reached for his shirt, and he let me lift it up and over his head, dropping it to the floor of the bathroom. He kicked out of his dirt-covered sneakers as I tugged at the button of his jeans, but his breathing picked up as he listened to the song.

_My dreams came true, when I found you  
I found you, my miracle..._

_If you could see, what I see, that you're the answer to my prayers  
And if you could feel, the tenderness I feel  
You would know, it would be clear, that angels brought me here..._

Once he was undressed, he reached for me, fingers gripping the belt of my robe and slipping up the side of my face so he could tilt my gaze to his. Pulling me close, his head bent to capture my mouth with his in a searing kiss. It was sweeping lips, wanton hums, and exploring tongues.

The last few days – really, almost the entire time after we'd moved into this house – had been trying for him, a test to the faith he had in himself. I wanted so badly to prove to him that I still saw him as everything, that he was my whole world.

"Hey," he breathed, grasping one side of my face while the other pulled open my robe. "I know that, my Bella. It's the one thing I count on." His hands slipped over my shoulders but beneath my robe, causing it to fall silently to the floor as his forehead fell to mine. "Come here," he ordered, his hands skimming down to my bottom so he could pick me up.

His eyes never wavered from mine as he lowered us down into the warm, soapy water, keeping me wrapped around him.

_Standing here before you, feels like I've been born again  
Every breath is your love, every heartbeat speaks your name_

The candles surrounding us gave Edward's skin a soft, warm glow, highlighting every dip and muscle, and his eyes seemed to be taking in every inch of me, as well. And as much as our minds seemed to want to be slow and savor every second, our bodies melted quickly together, trapping Edward's arousal between us.

"So beautiful," he barely said aloud as his hand skimmed up my stomach, between my breasts, and gripped the back of my neck to bring me back in for a deep kiss that shattered the illusion of taking things slowly.

Slippery, soapy skin, gripping hands, and calls for more and now eventually overrode everything. Edward lifted me gently, guiding himself slowly inside me as my mind chanted over and over how much he meant to me, how I'd worried about him, and how beautiful he was inside and out. And as the the chorus of the song I'd added repeated for the last time, I mentally begged him to listen, to believe, and for God's sake...to kiss me.

_If you could see, what I see, that you're the answer to my prayers.  
And if you could feel, the tenderness I feel  
You would know, it would be clear, that angels brought me here...  
Yes they brought me here...  
If you could feel, the tenderness I feel...  
You would know, it would be clear, that angels brought me here..._

There were moments in our relationship that seemed to stand out as stages we'd needed to reach – first I love yous, first kiss, his leaving, his return, my change, and our wedding. All these things made up who we were as a couple, but that bath, that song, and our slow, deep lovemaking that went on well after the water had run cold and the bubbles had all dissipated seemed to be another stage reached. It was as if Edward was washing all old thoughts, all false assumptions about himself, down the drain with the rest of the dirt. He clung to me with strong hands like I'd suddenly slip away.

As the day dawned to a barely there sun due to the now heavily falling snow, Edward and I tumbled into our bed, ignoring everything else but each other. Whispers of love, secret smiles, and soft, teasing fingers brushed against still-damp skin as the sound of snowflakes spattered against our windows. Mouths satiated needs, but not enough to take away the constant ache, and as Edward whirled the covers over our heads, essentially blocking out the whole world, he loomed over me looking like the angel I'd always thought him to be.

My hands slipped down his strong back, pulling him, urging him closer. As he slipped slowly and deeply inside of me, his forehead fell to mine. It didn't matter that we'd already loved every inch of each other in the bath, that we'd come hard with silent cries of each other's name, because every time we became one, it felt like the part of me that was missing finally fell right back into place.

"God, baby," he panted, dragging his lips down my jaw to my ear. "It's like you were made for me. I can't... I'll never get used to it, Bella."

I wanted to tell him that I was made for him, and he for me, but my voice caught in my throat as he started to move. I wanted to tell him that everything he'd ever experienced was what made him the man I loved, but I couldn't. And he could see it all in my thoughts as I cupped his face.

"Everything?" he needlessly verified in the softest of voices.

"Everything, Edward. Always."

* * *

**A/N... I know you have questions about that bottom room of Archie's, but they'll be addressed in the next chapter. This was about Edward dealing with how he perceived things – in himself and his life. This was also about getting Archie to trust the Cullens. You know...paying it forward – something I believe in wholeheartedly. :)**

**Okay, so I owe the song today to JenRar... She made me cry with it, so it was absolutely impossible not to use it. So "Angels Brought Me Here" by Guy Sebastian will be added to the playlist. Anyone else have a song that simply screams Angelward? LOL Because that one was just...perfect! ;)**

**I also have to dedicate Kevin's rant about the "Gucci gods" to my girl, Jules, on FB. LOL Just simply because that was the funniest thread, I swear!**

**As of this moment, I'm still working on Chapter 13, and my hope and goal will be to post on Wednesday. If not, if RL kicks my ass, then it'll be next Sunday. Okay? Now let me know what you think... Until next time... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N... Okay, so it wasn't just me that fell in love with Edward again... Just making sure. ;) I have a few questions that need answering before we begin.**

****Do I have a list of the songs on the Bedroom Playlist? No. Those songs were added into each story's main list. I never thought to separate them. Sorry, Wendy. :(**

****What is Edward and Bella's song? I always said "Wild Horses," which was originally by The Rolling Stones, but my favorite version is by the Sundays. This goes all the way back to chapter 6 in _Broken Angel_. I think he's played it for her in just about every fic since then.**

****And the firefighter bets... You guys crack me up! Here we go... Did Archie hear Edward and Bella making love upstairs? That bet will be answered in this chapter. However, I will end one bet for you guys... Archie isn't "crushing" on Bella. Not at all. As Edward explained in the last chapter, Archie sees Bella like an older sibling. He respects her...and Edward, for that matter.**

**Okay, I think that's it. If I missed a question, tell me. I'll catch it the next go around. :)**

**This chapter comes with a LEMON WARNING and a TISSUE WARNING. Just FYI. So I'll let you get on with it.**

* * *

Chapter 13

**EDWARD**

Skin. It was all I could focus on. My front was covered with soft, smooth, sweet-scented skin, and I was surrounding it with all that I had. Bella's back was to my chest as she sat between my legs. Leaning against a pile of pillows, I squeezed her closer, gripping hair up off her shoulder so that I could rake my teeth across the skin that was driving me mad, despite the fact that we'd been left alone all night.

Music was still playing on the stereo since Bella had added her song the night before, but I couldn't have said what song was actually playing. It was simply there to drown out anything outside our room – though, I could still hear everything, if I chose to. And there was a slightly twisted side of me that just didn't care – after eighty years or more of suffering through it alone – whether or not everyone knew what I was doing with my mate, my wife. There had been moments throughout the decades that they'd driven me out of the house with it. So no, I didn't care. At all.

Carlisle and Demitri, who were with Archie down in the library, were both slightly frustrated trying to communicate with him, but neither would dare bother us. Esme and Carina were already getting to work on what would now be considered Archie's bedroom. Alice was with Adrian and Kevin in their bedroom, going over last-minute Halloween ideas with Jasper, who was desperately trying to either block out the lust coming from not only Bella and me, but also Emmett and Rose, or get Alice alone to take advantage of it. Emmett, however, was doing his best to convince Rose that hippies weren't the way to go as far as costumes went. He was failing.

None of it mattered.

What mattered were Bella's happy sighs as my lips kissed her neck, the soft, sexy giggles that erupted from tickling fingers, and the instant reply of, "I love you, too," as I murmured it and other things over and over in her ear. What mattered was finding a million ways to thank her simply for being her, for being there for me...for being _mine._ Without her, I would still be lost, alone, and angry, but I'd go through it again and again if it meant she was the reward. It was thank yous for the never-ending mantra of how she saw me – perfect the way I was, including the faults.

"Edward," she whimpered as my hands slipped up the outside of her bent thighs, only to urge them to fall open.

"Hmm?" I hummed against her creamy shoulder as my fingers now grazed slowly, lightly down the inside of her legs. I felt myself harden when her hips acted of their own accord and rose up to meet my touch, but I didn't give it exactly where she wanted it. "What, love?" I asked innocently as her head fell back to my shoulder.

_Don't you think we should help Esme?_ Her thoughts were conflicted because she felt the right thing was to help, but she couldn't deny the selfish desire to stay right where she was. I was banking on the latter.

"I _think_..." I started softly, nuzzling her cheek, only to place a soft kiss there as my fingers drew nonsensical patterns around each pert nipple, down her stomach, around her navel, and through her soft curls, but I still didn't touch her where she wanted. "I _think,_" I said again, nipping at her earlobe, "we should see how hard I can make you come, my sweet girl. And how many times. Hmm?"

The truth of the matter was that I simply couldn't watch her come undone enough under my touch, my tongue, my cock, even my voice. I simply couldn't be sated. The other truth was that no amount of pleasure I could give her would ever be enough to thank her for loving me. But I was damn well going to try.

"Edward," she pleaded again, her mind begging for more, for me...anything to relieve the ache.

"No, baby," I chided gently, keeping my voice low just for her. "Let me..."

I picked up her legs and draped them over mine so that she was spread so beautifully for me. The intoxicating scent of her hit me like a brick wall. It was heady and wanton, smelling of me and an earthy scent that still carried that hint of freesias that had drawn me to her in the beginning. Placing my hands flat on the inside of her thighs, my thumbs rubbed just outside of her feminine lips, applying enough pressure to cause the reaction I wanted – the sound of my name chanted in a whisper.

Smiling into my kiss to her shoulder, I whispered, "So sensitive, baby. Did you know that there was a sweet spot right there?" I asked, swirling my tongue just behind her ear at the same time my thumbs massaged deeply the tendons of her inner thighs over and over.

Her hips rocketed off the mattress, her hands gripping at my forearm and thigh. Cupping her swollen, very wet, heated center, I gently forced her back down. I purred at the feel of every inch of her – both entrances and an extremely needy clit.

"Mmm, Bella... I want to watch you come," I confessed in her ear at the same time my fingers gathered her wetness, only to glide it up to where she needed me most. "But not until I tell you. Can you do that for me, my needy girl?"

She turned her head toward me, nodding, but captured my lips in a searing kiss. Tongues met before lips did, claiming, tasting. Her mind knew how badly I wanted to really, truly tell her what I needed, but she also knew we weren't home alone. Dirty Edward had to be censored. We both smiled into the kiss at that thought.

"A shame, really," I teased her, chuckling darkly, "but he's still here." I swirled a finger around her wet pussy, only to glide lower to her other entrance. I wanted her climax to be hard, all-consuming, and all over my hands.

Sensitive, puckered skin tightened under the pad of my finger, but Bella's mind silently begged me to fill her in every way. She wanted my cock, my fingers, all at once.

"This way first, my love," I told her. "I need to _feel_ you."

Sliding two fingers deep inside her pussy, I curled them just right, pumping in and out slowly. It was just enough to cause her eyes to roll back and her hips to raise up. My thumb glided up one side of her clit and down the other, pushing back the little hood just to hear her gasp.

I bit down hard on my bottom lip in order to not let the words I wanted to say slip out into the open air. I wanted to tell her just how tight she was, how wet she was, and just how good she felt against my skin. I wanted to tell her just how badly I needed to be inside of her in every way, but I knew her. She wouldn't have held off her climax at all at the sound of my voice, and my language would have ended a very long, very special secret that she held close. My dirty talk was sacred to her, and there wasn't anything that could make me betray that – family bets or not.

"More, Edward," she groaned, her brow furrowing as she used my thighs to brace herself. "More...all of it..."

"Here, make it wet, baby," I commanded, using one hand to fuck her slowly while the other came up to trail across her bottom lip.

Locking black gazes with me, she sank her mouth down around my middle finger, swirling her tongue just a little, but sucking hard. I smirked when her mind told me just what else she'd be happy to put in her mouth.

"Tempting little thing." I chuckled darkly, lifting her up so that she was sitting atop my thighs, her legs still spread wide. "But I'm feeling rather selfish, Bella," I told her as I toyed with her sweet little ass, finally sinking in just up to my second knuckle.

"Oh, God," she hissed, her head falling back to my shoulder and her body arching high.

Beautiful veins and tendons showed themselves along her neck and one on her forehead as her mouth fell open. Her hips rolled with the rhythm of my hands working every inch of her, taking me in deeper.

"God's not here," I growled low in her ear, nipping at her earlobe. "Who's here, my beautiful girl?"

"Y-You," she sputtered, her breathing shallow and uneven.

"Who makes you feel this good, baby?"

"You...ungh," she growled through gritted teeth as she tried her best not to come, because she was so, so close.

"Not yet," I commanded, adding my thumbs into the mix of sensations I was giving her. One swirled heavily around her swollen bundle of nerves while the other found that sensitive tendon at the crease of her inner thigh. "Not yet, not yet," I chanted in a raspy whisper, nuzzling her jaw to get her to look at me because I needed to kiss her senseless.

It was sloppy and awkward, deep and harsh as our tongues slid together. Her teeth raked across my bottom lip as her whole body began to shake.

"Fff—" I stopped myself from the word escaping, but she was indeed a breathtaking vision as I helped her entire body wind tighter and tighter. She was so close, so wet, and clenching down on my fingers.

Alternating my fingers in opposing thrusts, I wanted to purr at the feel of her, but I knew she wouldn't last much longer. I was so hard for her that my pre-come was dripping off my cock and smearing along the small of her back every time I ground against her just to relieve the need.

"Please," she begged, and I smiled evilly against her cheek, debating on how much longer she'd last.

Unable to tolerate her begging me for anything, even this, I finally gave in. "Yes," I hissed in her ear. "Come, love. Let go..."

To muffle her sounds, she turned into my neck. Her entire body arched high, her fingers digging into my forearms. There was always that brief moment of pure unadulterated silent bliss when she came. Her mind would completely cease to function, her mouth gaping soundlessly and her eyes rolling into the back of her head. I couldn't help the smug grin that spread across my face as I helped her body calm down.

Rubbing her stomach with gentle, flat hands, I purred against her cheek. "So damned beautiful, Bella. You're heartbreaking to watch, my sweet girl."

Sagging back against me, her mind told me that she felt boneless, like jello. Chuckling, I kissed her temple, ignoring my need for the moment. But she didn't.

_How do you want me, Edward?_ Her thoughts were loving, sweet, just as tender as her fingers as they ran through my hair.

"Like this," I groaned, wrapping an arm around her middle and positioning myself at her still-throbbing pussy from behind.

Bending my legs at the knee, I thrust inside her, my arm still holding her to me. The growl I let loose wasn't as loud as the dull thunk our metal headboard made when my head fell back. But damn, if I wasn't close already. She felt too good that way, tight, warm, wet, and I'd been hard for her far too long.

"Yes..." I hissed when Bella's mind confirmed that I would not be gentle. Gripping her thighs just behind the knees, I wrenched her legs wider, using my feet to brace for my thrusts.

Grunts, whimpers, and low growls escaped us both, but I couldn't be bothered with who heard us. Bella did her best to muffle hers into my neck, but several times, I practically bit through my bottom lip.

When Bella reached to touch herself, my low, "God, Bella...yes," gushed from my mouth, pushing my heavy breathing across her cheek. I loved when she just took, when she couldn't stop herself from reaching her own pleasure. And she did, quickly.

Soft lips caressed my jaw, but a wicked smile curled against my skin as my impending climax drew closer.

"God's not here, Edward... Who's here?" she asked, using my own words against me, and I was done.

Surrendering it all, I came hard because there was no stopping it. "Fu—You, Bella..." I stammered, again doing my best not to let my language fly. I spilled heavily deep inside of her, my head thumping back against the headboard again with a dense thunk. "Just you," I sighed deeply, smiling at her sweet smile and soft giggle against my cheek.

~oOo~

I smiled as Bella hummed along to herself while I played my guitar. She was in the bathroom getting dressed, something that I really wasn't happy about, but I knew we were needed downstairs eventually. I wasn't ready to leave the solace of our bedroom. And it seemed Jasper had finally given into the lust the two upper floors of the house were exuding, and Adrian and Kevin followed suit.

As I sat in the chaise by the window, I gazed out to watch the snow. It was falling heavily, scraping down the window in a sound similar to sand, a sound humans couldn't hear. The wind howled through the trees and the eaves of the house, and the backyard was a blinding white blur.

_You okay?_ A soft kiss pressed to my forehead before Bella joined me on the chair.

She sat down between my feet, facing me. Dressed in older jeans and a T-shirt of mine, she looked ready to get to work downstairs.

I smirked, thinking that after last night, nothing could be wrong, and she giggled at my expression.

"I'm perfect, love," I said with a chuckle, but it died quickly. "I am sorry, though. For the way I acted, the things I said..."

"You were upset, and it was understandable, Edward," she stated firmly, rubbing my calf over my jeans. _There's nothing to forgive._ Her last thought was her way of telling me to let it go, that we'd all seen things in life that had upset us – herself included. "Should we go downstairs?" she asked softly, picking up one of my bare feet and beginning to massage it.

"Not if you keep doing that." I laughed, but it turned into a long, low moan when she started with the other foot. Setting my guitar down onto the floor, I quickly wrapped my legs around her and wrestled her to my chest.

"Edward." My name was flooded in her laughter, but she melted easily into me. "We should go."

"I know," I sighed, brushing her hair back from her beautiful face.

Sounds throughout the house caught my attention, as did thoughts, but I tried to ignore them as best I could. Our siblings were lost in their own desires, while Carlisle and Esme had stayed with Archie in the library, going through some of Carlisle's books. Demitri and Carina weren't in the house at all, and I wondered at what point they had left.

My nose wrinkled as I caught Archie's mind. He knew that Carlisle and Esme were being polite, though he couldn't tell them. I knew that feeling firsthand. I knew what it was like to be surrounded by couples that would rather be alone, especially on a stormy winter's day. It felt embarrassing and lonely. I'd felt like an outsider, a freak in my own home for so very many years. And even worse was the curiosity that came along with it all. I hadn't wanted to look, but there were times when it was absolutely impossible not to.

Locking gazes with Bella, who had been watching every emotion on my face, I said, "You're the best thing that ever happened to me."

Her brow wrinkled, but she kissed my lips softly. "I love you, but what made you say that just now? Your face looked so...lost."

Grimacing a little, I sighed and pulled her closer. "Archie. He's in a house filled with mated vampires." I chuckled humorlessly, twirling a lock of her hair around my finger. "Talk about feeling grateful..." I muttered wryly.

Bella laughed and groaned at the same time. She took in the sounds of the house, her nose wrinkling adorably when she realized we'd been included in that scenario just mere minutes prior. Bella and I were more private as a couple, but we all had to live with it. It was something we'd gotten used to living as a family, but the family was all coupled off, so everyone in the house understood. She'd never really given any thought to a single person in the house.

"Now you know how they felt before you came along," I remarked with a snort, rolling my eyes. "I was...pitied and then temporarily forgotten."

"Aww," she crooned, cupping my face. "Not anymore, baby," she whispered against my lips.

"Or I'd leave...go hunting...anything. I was very happy with the invention of headphones." I grinned at her sweet giggle. "It's true!"

I wanted to laugh as she tried to sort out exactly how it had been, what I'd seen, what I'd heard in my mind. She wondered how I didn't go crazy, and she briefly wondered if I'd ever been curious and taken a look anyway.

"Yes," I admitted, gazing out the window in my embarrassment. "I tried not to, but I couldn't help it. There were times when I was... It was too much," I sighed, shaking my head. "I thought... I mean..."

"You thought something was wrong with you," she finished for me softly. "I know. You've told me."

There was a part of her mind that didn't want to associate it to watching porn, but it was inevitable...and somewhat true. Pleading silently up at her, I begged her not to ask the question.

"Stop it," she said with a chuckle, but she switched to thoughts. _You know it's only a natural reaction, Edward. Surely no one blames you for getting turned on, because you lived with an empath, for crying out loud. And you shouldn't blame yourself._

"It didn't happen often. I usually sensed when I should take my leave," I told her, smirking up at her. I loved that she took every bad thing in my life and made it okay. "It was worse when you came along. I couldn't control any of it. And I was lost in my feelings and inability to do anything about it."

She grinned, running her fingers through my hair. Her eyes were warmth and happiness incarnate, and I smiled up at her. I'd wanted everything my family had with their mates, and now I did, but something Carlisle had said the night before came back to my mind. He'd said I'd come really close to hating them all in my loneliness, and I hadn't given it much thought, but I supposed in a way, he'd been right.

"Do you think I hated them?" I asked her suddenly, and I truly wanted her opinion.

"No," she said immediately. "I can't imagine you hating them, Edward. At all. Jealous of them, maybe, but as much as you heard," she sighed, tapping my temple, "I can't say that I wouldn't have sought silence as much as you did, too."

I tilted my head at her as her thoughts took a turn I hadn't expected. Renee and Phil swarmed to the forefront of her mind, and I saw where she'd felt a fraction of the way I had. It had been the reason she'd moved to Forks – to give them time alone.

She smirked at me, shrugging a shoulder. "Sometimes, even humans can hear it."

I laughed, hugging her tightly. I hugged her because deep down, I saw that speaking of her mother was difficult for her, but she'd never truly admit it. Renee had been the one single sacrifice that my sweet girl had given up for this life. And as much as she knew it was necessary, she missed her mother badly. It was why she leaned on Charlie more now than ever.

"Come on," I told her softly, cupping her face and kissing her quickly. "We'll go keep Archie company."

_Really, we're just giving Carlisle and Esme a break, aren't we?_ She giggled, taking my hand and standing up from the chair.

I chuckled, getting up and wrapping an arm around her. "Oh, yes, ma'am...we are."

We raced down the stairs in order to avoid hearing something we shouldn't, but I heard it all anyway. We practically tumbled into the library in a fit of laughter, which caused a smile to spread across Carlisle's and Esme's faces. I felt lighter than I had in years, and it had to have been written all over my face, because both my parents mentally noted it, though they didn't say it out loud.

Archie, however, was watching us curiously as we joined them in the sitting area. Someone had started a fire, and he was enjoying the warmth of it on his skin as he sat near the fireplace, but in his hand was a book I wasn't expecting. It made me roll my eyes to Esme. I knew no one else would've encouraged Archie to read Bella's book _Forever._

"What?" she asked innocently, shrugging a shoulder. I half-expected her to stick her tongue out at me like the rest of the girls in the house with her belligerent attitude. "He found in on the shelf with the rest of Carlisle's books."

Bella giggled, shaking her head. "Yeah, but you told him it was us, didn't you?"

"Maybe," our mother hedged dramatically, but her smile was genuine and loving. "That's a part of our history as a family, Isabella, so don't sell it short."

Carlisle and Archie were fighting smiles, the latter filled with so many questions that it was hard to pinpoint just one, but it was my father that my eyes fell to. He had some things he had to tell me before he and Esme left the room.

"Demitri and Carina were called away on Volturi business by Marcus," he started, standing up from the chair he'd been sitting in next to Archie. "They decided to meet up with Brandon and Catherine so that they could join them. He said he needed Brandon's talent."

My brow furrowed, and I frowned. "Nothing bad, I hope."

"No, no..." He waved off my concern. "At least, Demitri didn't feel it was, but since he was already stateside, Marcus asked him to check on something."

I saw in his mind that there were a few unexplained deaths in Washington D.C. They could've been seen as normal human occurrences, but they also had a hint of something else. Marcus would rather be safe than sorry.

"Anyway," Carlisle continued, "they'll all be back soon. They said they'd call when they were done investigating it."

"Fair enough," I conceded, turning to Esme. "What would you like us to do downstairs?"

She grinned happily at my offer, showing me her plans – colors, furniture, décor – and I snorted, because as beautiful as it would be when she was done with it, that really was more the girls' thing.

"You know that's all you," I said with a chuckle. "I simply meant...heavy labor, Mom."

There had been nine bodies in Archie's underground room, along with several bottles of wine and alcohol that had been removed. It sounded like a lot when grouped together, but I had to take into account the fact that he'd done that over the course of a century. A century! And only nine humans had been killed. It was extraordinary, given the circumstances. It was more than Emmett when he'd slipped up, but it was significantly less than me and Jasper. Archie had no idea just how strong he truly was. He needed to see it.

"Oh," she said with a chuckle. "Okay, well, Rose and Emmett have all the frames in place for the new doors. The bottom trap door has been sealed, and they said not to worry about plumbing and electricity, that they'd work on it later today or when it stops snowing. We still need to clean out that passageway that leads to the garage, hang the doors, and pressure wash the walls and floors. Use hot water; that way, it won't freeze."

"Yes, ma'am," I sighed, running a hand through my hair.

"Thank you, sweeties," she cooed, kissing first my cheek and then Bella's before getting up from her spot next to Archie, where Bella quickly took her place.

Carlisle and Esme left the room, but before I went downstairs, I watched Archie turn slightly nervous as he sat next to my wife. His eyes were forcefully locked onto the book in his hand. It would've been funny had I not understood his discomfort. He'd heard us upstairs. In fact, he could still hear the rest of the family, though he was doing his damnedest to ignore it. It didn't help that he reminded me so much of myself in that moment, because his sense of etiquette was frozen in 1920. Sex wasn't talked about or seen outside of the bedroom of a married couple.

"Be grateful you didn't _see_," I teased him, tapping my temple. I grinned, but then sighed at his scrunched-up face of shock. "It can't be helped, Archie. I'm sorry."

Bella giggled, which caused us both to glance over at her. She shrugged a shoulder, shaking her head. In her mind, though she'd never say it out loud, she was not ashamed of her love for me or the way we showed it to each other, so she wasn't really embarrassed, except for Archie. There was no stopping my smug smile. At all. But she did glance over at poor Archie.

Her face sobered quickly as she took the book gently out of his hands and thumbed through it. "I apologize if you're uncomfortable, but it's a vicious cycle in this house. Living with an empath like Jasper only makes it worse. He can't help but feel what we feel, but then he has to push it back out into the house. Otherwise, he'd go crazy trying to bottle it all up."

"Mated vampires can't help but lose themselves occasionally," I tried to explain gently.

Archie nodded, but his mind focused most on the one word I had feared he would – "mated." Having come from the same time, I understood why his thoughts were saddened by the loss of certain ideals. We both came from a romantic era, so courting and marriage were extremely important. The word "mate" sounded animalistic and wrong to him.

"It sounds that way, but it doesn't have to be," I told him. "I know the word mate sounds like basic instincts and no emotions, but I assure you it's not."

Bella glanced between us, a small smile gracing her beautiful face as she gathered why Archie was nervous.

She tapped the book in her lap. "Did you read the whole thing?" she asked him, and he shook his head no.

"Actually, love, Esme was just explaining to him that it was our story when we came in," I explained.

She grinned, nodding her head and getting up. "Good, then don't read this...read the real one," she stated before rushing back upstairs, only to return with my personal copy she'd given me. "This is Edward's copy, my version of how the two of us met."

I loved that book. It had been a gift from her to me for Christmas a few years back. She'd had it bound in the softest of black leather, embossed with my initials, and had the Cullen crest attached to the front. It read like my girl's sweet thoughts – honest and loving and curious. But she was right. That version was the truth, not the edited version of what had really happened. However, I wondered for just a moment if it would only cause him to ask more questions, because it ended while Bella was still human. It didn't include a bit of what happened that summer or the beginning of the next school year. She'd specifically left out my leaving, Jake's abuse, and our suffering because she just wasn't sure if she could put it down on paper.

Archie held the book like it would shatter into a million pieces, gazing up at me. He didn't want to ruin my copy.

"You'll be fine. Everyone in the family has read it." I chuckled, shrugging a shoulder. "It's the reason she published it as fiction," I told him, wrapping an arm around Bella's shoulder and kissing her head. "You ready to get to work, love? I'll need your help."

"Yeah, sure," she chirped with a smile, turning to Archie. "Did you want to hang out down there with us?" she offered, and he nodded, standing up from the couch. She eyed his still-disheveled appearance, smirking at little. "You know, you'll have to bathe soon, Archie. I'm fairly certain Alice has already ordered clothes for you."

His brow wrinkled, but he nodded as he glanced down at his tattered pants. Apparently, Esme had already offered him the use of her and Carlisle's bathroom, but he hadn't considered it yet.

"I'm simply warning you," she teased him, and I chuckled because he really did respect her. She shrugged her shoulders before descending into the basement ahead of us. Once she stood in the middle of the empty room, she faced us. "Anyway, you read, we'll work, and you'll see that the word _mate_ isn't what you're thinking. Hmm?"

It was all I could do not to kiss my happy, sweet girl completely senseless right there in the middle of Archie's dingy basement. Carlisle had told Bella to show Archie why she loved her life, and she was doing her absolute damnedest to do just that. Even he noted it silently. It took all the control I had, and then some, to merely press a heavy, long kiss to her forehead and not tote her right back upstairs to our room.

"Love you," I murmured softly against her skin, shaking my head slowly at the honesty of that statement. She was my light at the end of every dark tunnel, and she didn't have a clue as to why. She was just...my Bella.

Giving her and then Archie one last glance, I turned to lift the new door into place and got to work.

~oOo~

**BELLA**

My eyes raked over the backyard from Alice's bedroom window. It was blindingly white and covered in newly fallen snow. The branches of the trees were heavy and bowed, and the back deck looked as if it were covered in icing. But the yard itself looked like a war zone – a very white war zone. The boys slung snowballs at each other at speeds that could kill a human on impact, but they simply splattered against heads, chests, and backs. It was Adrian and Edward versus Emmett and Jasper. I smiled when Edward was too fast to be hit, unless he stopped to throw, and then Jasper and Emmett attacked without shame. Just to mess with them, I shielded my husband against one such attack, which earned me the sweetest of smiles from Edward and middle fingers from my brothers.

My grin fell as I caught a touch of movement from the side of the house. Carlisle was watching his sons with a small smile on his face, but the cellar doors were open. Archie was showing himself, but he was barely visible as he sat on the top step. He could go no farther than that; otherwise, he'd be outside, and he'd yet to cross that boundary.

It had been a few days since his room had been cleaned. The nine bodies that he'd buried in the bottom-most part of the cellar were now spread throughout Maine and Canada. They were buried deep in the ground and were now under at least two feet of snow. The bottles had been removed, some proving to be worth something, so Jasper had promptly sold them on eBay, starting a small account for Archie. Now, the trapdoor had been sealed and was hidden beneath plush carpet and padding. The basement wasn't finished, but at least Archie had a place to go that wasn't just cold brick and gray concrete.

However, before Esme would move a stick of furniture into his room, she told Archie it was time to clean up. It wasn't as if he smelled bad or had the ability to sweat, but he was covered in the dust of that basement, as were his hair, fingernails, and feet. It had taken Carlisle two hours to convince him to get in the tub, another two hours to soak him, and several pieces of destroyed clothing before he was deemed worthy to sit on anything other than the floor. Not to mention the tub had needed a thorough scrubbing when it was all over.

The end result was the cutest thing I'd ever seen. He was fidgety and nervous, uncomfortable and a little cranky in his new clothes. His normally curious face had carried a grumpy expression for the first hour, but he'd mellowed out after he'd gotten used to it. His hair had been matted and tangled, but now that it was clean, it was a just a shade lighter brown than mine and Adrian's. And he'd yet to put on shoes.

That grumpy expression had finally faded when Esme told him that he looked handsome, and that no, bathing wasn't really necessary for vampires, but that it helped us to feel normal, human, not to mention that the hot water felt good against our sensitive yet impervious skin. And Carlisle had explained to him that remembering our human side was what kept us from becoming feral and wild. He'd told him that it was why the boys played music, why we appeared in town occasionally, and why we abstained from human blood. After that, Archie had accepted the newly built closet full of clothes that Alice had provided for him with a shy smile and a "thank you" through Edward.

"Earth to Bella," Rose chortled behind me. "We're almost done. You can go play with Edward soon," she teased.

I grinned and faced the room. "It's a dress. I don't gain weight, so there's no need to try it on..._again,_" I complained, knowing we were a only day away from Halloween.

"Fine, fine," Alice allowed as she quickly worked on Jasper's Civil War uniform. She was sewing his real medals to it. It was rather impressive, actually.

"Alice, do you see Archie's future?" I asked, causing both girls to glance up at me.

"No," she said simply, giving me a sad look. "He can't decide on anything. When he does, it's still all over the place, because one decision leads to another fork in the road, so to speak." She put down her sewing when Rose and I stared at her in confusion. "Okay, it's like this... If he decides to go outside, then what? He then has to decide whether to hunt or come back in. If he decides to trust us to take him, then who? Is it Carlisle? Or all of us? Every single thing in his mind is in that sort of circular pattern. But first he has to decide to face his fear. I'll never see anything unless he finally completely trusts us, because he's all over the place."

My nose wrinkled, and I nodded in understanding.

"Can he talk? Or is it just that he just doesn't want to?" Rose asked, sitting on the chair. She was sewing, as well, only she was sewing patches in the shapes of peace signs and flowers onto a fairly shabby yet chic denim jacket.

"He's come really close," Alice answered with a nod. "I'm sure Edward has heard it. Again, it's a trust thing."

Nodding once more, I said nothing and faced the window again. Of all the people in the house, I understood fear and building emotional walls up for protection. I also understood what it was like to be hurt by someone that you trusted. Jake was no longer that angry new werewolf anymore, but after Edward had left, he'd slowly become aggressive, easily angered, and defensive. I could've never given Jake my heart, and he knew it, which only added fuel to the fire at the time. My own anger hadn't helped, so we'd been a ticking time bomb at all times. We were never meant to be, and I totally believed our fighting proved that. Now, Jake was a happy husband and amazing father to two kids. But our friendship would never be the same. And in spite of Edward's return and my love for him, I'd carried around that same fear, that same wall of protection for quite a while, thinking he'd just leave me again. Anger was easy, and keeping people at arm's length was even easier. However, ignoring what needed to be faced was the easiest of all.

And I could see that Archie was tentatively facing the minimal things, ignoring the big things. Every last person that had hurt him was dead and gone. His fear and mistrust were just remnants of what he'd always done. I was sure that meant talking, as well.

"He'll never do it," I murmured, catching sight of Carlisle trying to coax Archie a little closer to the cellar door. I shook my head. "Not unless someone makes him."

"What? Talk?" Rose asked.

"No, step outside the house," Alice gasped, her eyes wide as she looked up at me. "Do it. It may work, though he still has to make a decision. Right now, he's wavering with Carlisle."

I left the room, taking the stairs quickly, though instead of heading out the back kitchen door, I detoured through Archie's room. I had to smile at Esme and Kevin. They'd worked together really hard to get it looking amazing. Esme had outdone herself, taking bits and pieces of Archie's human time and adding in touches of the current time. It looked like a young man's dorm room, only better, more sophisticated. They'd given him some pretty high-tech stuff – flat screen TV and a stereo – but also some antiques, like a grandfather clock and what looked like a men's dresser. And it looked like it was almost done.

Passing through the room, I took the hidden stone door that was standing wide open. I wanted to smile as Esme and Kevin argued colors, pillows, and possibly adding another window in the room. But it was the form sitting at the top of the steps I had my sights set on. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a solid black, long-sleeved polo shirt. His hair was parted on the side, and every hair was in place, something that made me smile because I was pretty sure that Edward's hair had never laid down a day in his long life – human or immortal.

"Hey!" Edward growled playfully from somewhere outside. "I can hear you, you know!"

My giggle couldn't be stopped if I'd tried. _Love you!_ I thought to him, but he'd already gone back to his epic snowball battle.

Carlisle and Archie turned their attention to me as I approached them. I sat down next to Archie at the top of the steps. Carlisle's smile looked welcoming and a tad frustrated, but he was maintaining his patience. Archie just simply looked curiously over at me.

"I escaped Alice's evil sewing clutches," I teased, giving Carlisle a wink. "There are only so many times I need to try something on." I rolled my eyes with a smile. "Aren't you going to teach your sons a lesson in snowball fighting?" I asked, gesturing toward the rapid white fire that streaked across the backyard.

Carlisle snorted and rolled his eyes. "They wouldn't survive it." He chuckled when the boys scoffed, but turned to Archie. "I was just telling Archie that he didn't have to just watch...that he could join them."

Archie shook his head profusely, watching another round of snowballs fly by, only this time, they were all aimed toward the treeline, where Edward and Adrian were using the shrubbery as cover.

"Or they'd stop if you asked them," I suggested, but nodded in understanding when Archie shook his head again.

I expected Carlisle to continue to urge him, but instead, he changed the subject in a completely different direction.

"So, Bella, are you ready for the carnival tomorrow?" he asked, smiling down at me as he leaned against the closest tree.

"Yeah, sure," I said with a nod. "It sounds like fun. There are games and rides and stuff. And I think some local band is playing. Oh, and I think there are hayrides!"

Carlisle grinned and nodded. "Are you hunting before you go?"

"Yeah, Edward and I are going later tonight," I explained. "I trust my shield more when I've fed."

His smirk told me that I'd said the right thing, so he went on. "Good, good... How's your shield now?" he asked.

"Fine. What? You want me to cover you out there?" I joked, jerking my chin toward the chaos in the backyard, but my chuckle stopped when his eyes flickered to Archie. With a smile, I turned to Archie. "You know what he's suggesting?" I asked him, and he shook his head. "He's thinking that you'll feel safer with me. That I'd protect you."

He shifted uneasily in his spot but glanced down at the book in his hands. He was holding onto Edward's copy of our story.

I tilted my head at him and tapped the cover. "Have you finished it?" I asked, and he nodded.

His brow wrinkled as he glanced toward where Edward would be and then back to us. He sighed frustratedly but merely nodded again. Archie's translator was nowhere to be found, and I wondered for a split second if that was per Carlisle's command.

"You have questions," I stated, and Archie nodded. "You want to know what happened between then and when Victoria hurt me."

His eyes widened, but he nodded fervently.

I smiled because Edward had been right. He'd told me in secret that Archie was only growing more curious the more he read our story. My humanity with Edward's immortality had been shocking to Archie, but he didn't come right out and ask Edward anything. He just kept reading.

I glanced up at Carlisle, who was simply watching us closely, only to turn back to the man at my side. "Time for another deal, then, Archie..." I said, though my voice came out with a teasing warning tone to it. I raised an eyebrow at him. "You want to know what happened, and I'll tell you, but only if you try _one time_ to step right there." I held up a finger and then pointed to just outside the cellar door.

Archie's eyes widened, and his breathing started to pick up.

"Hang on. Settle down," I soothed him, reaching out to pick up his hand. "May I show you something?" I asked him, and he tentatively nodded. "I just want to show you how my shield works. We'll do it together, okay?"

Archie swallowed nervously, but his eyes stayed glued to me as I stepped up and out of the cellar to stand next to Carlisle.

_Edward, you and the boys aim my way, please,_ I thought to my husband.

"Guys," I called aloud, slamming my shield down around me and Carlisle.

I wanted to laugh because I was pretty sure Jasper and Emmett threw much harder than Adrian and Edward, but four large snowballs arched across the yard with perfect precision, only to splatter against my shield. I'd made sure to widen my coverage in order to keep the ricochet minimal. When the snow obliterated, I smiled, gesturing to Carlisle that there wasn't a spot on him.

"See?" I verified with a smile, and then I called over my shoulder, "One more time, guys."

Four more missiles collided with my shield, and I snorted, shaking my head at the force behind them.

"You're so on my team," Carlisle murmured with a grin.

"You got it." I giggled but then walked to the entryway, kneeling in front of Archie. "Look at me, Archie," I whispered, and his dark red eyes locked with mine. "No one...I repeat, _no one_ can hurt you again. You're a hundred times stronger, faster, smarter than you ever were as a human. What happened to you was awful, but they were really just unfortunate steps leading up to your change. But I _swear to you_ that no one will hurt you while I'm around. They can't even touch you. Understand?"

Swallowing nervously again, Archie nodded. I tried to ignore the silence around us, because it seemed like every member of my family was holding their breath.

"Give me...thirty seconds, sweetie," I urged him gently, holding out my hand. "Thirty seconds, and you can come right back in. We'll go no farther than that spot right there. Carlisle will stand with us. Come on... You do this, and I'll tell you that story, Archie."

His anxious fidgeting was almost too much to watch, yet it was so human, and I knew he had no idea. Archie's breathing picked up as he glared down at the book in his lap, his hands fisted on top. He gazed up to me, then Carlisle, and finally past us to where the four boys were watching from the other side of the yard.

With a furrowed brow and a set mouth, Archie slipped his hand into mine. I gave it a gentle squeeze, smiling at him.

"You're going to feel my shield cover you, okay? It'll feel like a hug or arms around you, but you'll be right beside me," I explained before I actually did it, but he listened intently. "You'll also lose your sense of smell, only smelling me and Carlisle. Everything else will be blocked out."

Archie gripped Edward's book in one hand and my fingers in the other, but he stood up slowly. He took that last step up out of the cellar door, his whole body practically quaking in fear.

"Easy, son," Carlisle soothed, carefully reaching out to place a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You're doing just fine."

When Archie took one more step, that last one that brought him clearly out of the cellar, the whole family cheered. I grinned at Archie when Emmett punched the air, only to snatch up poor Adrian in a huge bone-crushing hug, when Jasper and Edward exchanged money after making a bet, and when the girls and Kevin cheered from down in the basement.

Archie's look of shock was overshadowed by his shy smile at the cheers aimed his way, and he looked up to Carlisle and then me. He was still shaking, but he looked surprised at himself.

"You did it," I praised in a whisper. "You know that feeling when you kept touching things too hard after your change, when you kept breaking stuff until you learned to control your strength?" I asked him, and he nodded. "This is just like that."

"We can come here every day until you get used to it, son," Carlisle vowed. "Edward seems to think you want to try our diet, but I can't bring a six point buck into my house. My wife will kill me," he whispered conspiratorially, which made Esme laugh from behind us and Archie smirk a little. "You get used to this, and we'll see about starting you slowly, okay?"

Archie nodded but gave the cellar door a longing glance.

"I'll tell you that story soon, okay?" I promised, making sure he nodded before I let go of his hand and lifted my shield. He was back inside the house before I could blink, but I looked up at Carlisle. "You should be there for that. Is that okay?" I asked him.

"Whenever you're ready, sweetheart," he vowed soothingly.

Both of us growled when we were pelted by two very large, very fast snowballs, and we spun to face the yard.

"Baby, that wasn't me!" Edward yelled, but he was laughing at the same time. His hands were up in a surrendering gesture, but Emmett and Jasper looked awfully proud of themselves.

I sighed dramatically, gazing up at Carlisle. "This will be an ass-kicking of epic proportions," I murmured low.

He grinned and nodded, saying, "Oh, yes, ma'am. Shield us!"

At that command, I slammed my shield down as we both grabbed up handfuls of snow, launching them at our intended targets. My snowball exploded in the middle of Emmett's chest, while Carlisle's caught the side of Jasper's head. But I wasn't done. Wrapping my shield around my laughing husband, I tackled him into a snowdrift, grinning down at him.

"What was the bet?" I growled down at him playfully.

"I bet that Archie would trust you. Jasper bet on his fear winning," Edward stated softly, his beautiful smile still spread across his face. "I won," he purred sexily, his eyes darkening.

"Mm," I hummed, kissing his lips once. "You did. Good boy," I crooned, kissing him one more time before shoving a fistful of snow underneath his shirt.

Edward growled and laughed at the same time but only hit my shield when I launched off him. "Oh, my love," he said with a warning growl, standing up and shaking the snow out of his clothes. "It's on now!"

The snowball fight was a disturbing display of cheating and mischief. Clearly, my shield gave Carlisle and me the advantage, but Edward's speed was a force to be reckoned with. He used every opportunity he could to get his shots in, because I had to lower my shield in order throw the snow. More than once, I thought I heard a small chuckle from Archie, but I wasn't completely sure.

We were all sloppy, wet messes by the time Esme called us all from the cellar door. We gathered around her, and she shook her head at us, wearing a small wry smile as she stood next to Archie. She placed a hand on his shoulder, which I noticed he was getting more and more used to, waving us all in.

"I think since Archie has done so well today that he deserves a present," she said, gazing down at him. "Your room is finished, sweetheart."

"Oh, cool!" Emmett said with a beaming grin. "So let's see it, then."

We followed Esme and Kevin into Archie's room, and I simply shook my head. It was gorgeous, and I smiled at just how she'd turned a completely bare room into something that resembled a small apartment. He even had a claw tub sectioned off in the corner. They'd used soothing colors of greens, blues, and tans to decorate, but it was the stereo my eyes fell to.

"Go ahead, sweet girl," Edward urged softly in my ear, kissing my neck. "It's in the library."

Edward and I had talked softly about Archie's love for music, so we'd decided to give him something once his room was complete. Bolting up the stairs, I snatched up the iPod Archie had originally stolen from me. With a smile, I ran back down the stairs and straight to his new stereo.

Plugging the player in, I started a recording of Edward playing Archie's mother's music. "Now, you're ready," I confirmed with a nod.

Archie's eyes were wide as he took in his new room, but Esme looked nervous.

"All my kids like their own spaces. As long as you're with us, then I'd like you to have an escape. I know we're a lot to take in," she rambled, but the rest of us were quiet.

Archie didn't seem to be listening as he set Edward's book down on the bed, but when he finally turned around, he swallowed, licking his lips. Edward chuckled softly at the same time Alice gasped, but we all froze as we finally heard what we'd been dying to hear since we'd met our lost little friend – his voice.

It seemed to take several counts before he looked around the room to all of us. His determined expression was fierce when his mouth finally opened after ten very long years.

"Th-Thank you."

* * *

**A/N... Eeeep! He talked! YAY! This was an emotional chapter for me, simply because Archie came so damn far in it. Huge leaps of courage in this one from his end. Again, I made everyone cry, including myself.**

**I touched on the single guy in the house full of mated vamps for a reason. There were several things that needed to be addressed, which splinters off that topic. I know that some of you were curious, but it was a topic I'd intended to touch on because it is connected with the subject of mating and with Edward and Bella's beginning. And yes, Bella will tell Archie the rest of her story, though as you can see, she's never been a big fan of discussing it.**

**Okay, so no additions to the playlist today. Sorry. :( However, don't forget... I'm on Twitter (Drotuno) and Facebook (Deb Drotuno Rotuno), and I'm always posting pics and teasers. :)**

**Lastly, I haven't actually started Chapter 14 yet, so I'm not sure if it'll be ready for Sunday. It will depend on my time and if my brain cooperates with what I want to write. The latter is a miracle on any given day. Just sayin'. O_o**

**Keep the music suggestions coming! I'm loving them. :D I hope to see you Sunday, but if not, I'll for sure see you next Wednesday. So, are you proud of our lost Archie? Let me know. Until next time... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N... It's unanimous! :D You're all really proud of Archie. He's evoking such amazing responses from you guys and from the members of his newfound family. Not to mention the reactions from my pre-readers – one is crushing on Archie, and the other now has a girl-crush on Bella. Poor Jen is all about big brother Emmett these days – you'll see why in this chapter. LOL**

**And there are some of you – like me ;) – that have fallen in love all over again with Edward. Yeah, now that I can totally understand. LOL But we're all emotional messes over the last chapter. Well, that and some complained of needing a panty change. Yeah, my bad. Blame Edward, okay?**

**READ FIRST BEFORE CHAPTER... This chapter got away from me. I know that some of you were expecting Halloween and a hot Gangster Edward, but the timeline and my outline wouldn't allow it just yet. So this may need some tissue warnings because there are about to be some difficult discussions ahead. But first, is Archie done talking? ;)**

**See you at the bottom...**

* * *

Chapter 14

**EDWARD**

"Th-Thank you." Archie swallowed nervously but faced us all bravely. "I-I don't know...what to say..."

"Well, holy hell," Kevin murmured, wearing a proud smile. "Say anything. At this point, it doesn't matter."

Archie sighed, fighting a small smile. "Sorry about that..."

I'd heard him decide to speak way before he actually uttered the words, and of course, Alice had practically bounced right out of her skin when she saw it coming. Archie's voice was unsure, soft, and very similar to his inner tone, but it was Jasper's mind that was amused the most.

_Damn, Ed... He's practically overflowing with gratefulness. He truly means that shit._ His thoughts were laced with amusement because he understood that feeling. When he and Alice had first joined us, we'd welcomed them immediately. He knew what the overwhelming sensation of being accepted felt like, despite one's past or mistakes.

I gave him a quick nod, wrapping an arm around Bella from behind, but it was Carlisle that was about to speak for all of us.

"Archie, there's no need to thank us, son, and you certainly have nothing to be sorry for," he started calmly, but in his mind, he was truly amazed at the strides and steps Archie had taken today. "There isn't one of us that hasn't been lost or confused at some point in our lives. What binds us together is a desire to overcome what we are. Some of my family, I changed myself, and the rest joined us from every walk of life imaginable. You've heard their stories, but the one thing I've always tried to do is accept each and every one of them for _who they are_. We simply wanted to show you that you have the freedom to do as you please and the strength to do anything you want – just like every member of my family. If you ask us to leave or find the courage to make your own way, or even decide to remain with us, we will support you, help you."

Bella leaned back against me, linking our fingers together at her waist. I dropped a heavy kiss to the back of her head, but we all stayed quiet because Carlisle wasn't finished.

"We're all incredibly different, and yes, sometimes we step on each other's toes, but we try to keep our family strong at its core. We've all had moments when we were scared, when we lost faith in ourselves, and when we didn't think we'd get through one more day of this long life, but I want you to know that I can't imagine a better group of _people_ – not just immortals – that I'd want in my corner. Okay?" he asked him, smiling softly when he received a silent nod in reply. "I know you're worried, but trust me, we've all been there. You've done an amazing and courageous job today, Archie. I am very proud of you."

I chuckled softly at Archie's mind, because not even his own father had ever said those words.

Archie took a deep breath and nodded, and it seemed he'd finally found his courage, because instead of relying on me to communicate, he spoke again. "I-I want to try," he stated simply and softly.

"And we want to help you," Esme told him, smiling when we all nodded in agreement.

Bella was quiet, but she was thinking that Archie had some hard times ahead. It wasn't easy facing fears, talking about the past, or finding the courage to change. Her mind swirled around many, many long talks with Carlisle and myself as she stood silently in my arms. Opening up about abuse and pain and lies had been so hard on her – and myself, if I were completely honest. Feelings of abandonment had been the hardest on my sweet, beautiful girl, and she seemed to think Archie was feeling a bit of that, as well. What she felt most grateful for was that Archie hadn't been in love with Victoria, because she felt that he'd have been infinitely worse off than he was.

Squeezing her fingers, I nuzzled her neck and gave her a long, slow kiss right behind her ear.

"I don't know where to start," Archie said, looking up at Carlisle, but it was someone else that answered – someone I wasn't expecting.

"But _we do_, little dude," Emmett told him firmly. "I told you before... We've got your back," he said with a chuckle and a hand pounding his chest. "It ain't easy, man. But look around you. Every teacher you need is right here."

Emmett grinned, and it was infectious as hell because all of us – Archie included – chuckled. And I snorted softly into Bella's hair with what was coming next.

"Dr. Feel Good...he's awesome at talking through the ugly shit," he started, dropping a heavy hand to Carlisle's shoulder, which only caused him to shake his head. "You got Jazz here, who can sense what you're feeling – thirst, anger, nerves. And he'll help with all of it. He'll know when you've reached your limit." Emmett held out a fist to Jasper, who pounded it. "Then there's the pixie," he went on, trying to ruffle Alice's hair, but she ducked out of his reach with a giggle. "You even _think_ about making a dumbass decision, and she'll know about it."

Bella laughed, shaking her head, and she wasn't the only one.

"And if she doesn't catch you, Eddie here will! But you already know that," he added with a cheesy-as-hell smile my way, and I rolled my eyes, but it was good to hear Archie's chuckle. "You've got Kevin and Adrian that are new to the diet _and_ to the family, so yeah, they'll be right by your side."

When Emmett pointed their way, Kevin and Adrian nodded silently. They were both ready and willing to do what was needed to help Archie. Though, Adrian could understand Archie's shyness more than any of us.

"My beautiful Rosie and Esme will always be straight with you, no matter what, and you can ask them anything," he said, wrapping an arm around Rosalie's shoulders. "And then there's Bellsy," he crooned with a big smile, shooting a wink her way when Bella raised a dangerous eyebrow at him. "Nobody can touch you if she's on the job. No way, man. Honest. And you two have more in common than you know just yet," Emmett concluded, his thoughts suddenly sad as he thought about Bella's last human days.

My brow furrowed, but I didn't say anything because Bella simply nodded. She knew she had to tell Archie the rest of her story, though she wasn't looking forward to it. It wasn't that she minded him knowing everything, but she tended to get emotional when she talked about my leaving and Jake's abuse.

"And you?" Archie asked wryly, which caused that small amount of tension in the room to dissipate.

Emmett grinned. "When you're ready, little man, I'll show you exactly what you're capable of, but we can't exactly do that in the living room. Got me?"

Chuckling, I looked to Archie. "Emmett's talent is his strength, Archie. He never lost it from his newborn years. What he's saying is... Once you're able to go outside, he'll help you learn what you're physically able to do." I paused for just a moment, eying the two. "And he's really good with technology. He can catch you up on what you've missed."

Emmett grinned, giving a fervent nod. He hadn't even thought about that aspect of things.

"Archie, you should feed," Jasper stated firmly with a nod.

"I know," Archie replied, looking to Carlisle. "As much as... I mean..."

"You've taken some big steps today, son. We'll work up to getting you ready to hunt animals on your own. Okay?"

"Okay," he conceded, though he was disappointed more in himself than with the denial of hunting because he knew he wouldn't have been able to do it – Bella's shield or not.

"Don't sell yourself short, Archie," I told him, shaking my head. "You've accomplished more today than in the entire time we've been here."

"You'll do it," Alice suddenly piped up, linking her arm with his. "Just not today."

Her eyes locked with mine as a small, wry smile graced her face. The vision showed one thing for sure: the first time Archie took down his first doe, it would be instinct that kicked in, not bravery, and it would happen right outside the cellar doors. But it wouldn't happen for some time, because I could see that there was just a bit more snow on the ground.

_Next week? _She asked the question silently and shrugged a shoulder because neither of us could tell.

"Come on, Archie. We'll get you fed. And I'm assuming the rest of you are off to hunt before tomorrow night?" Carlisle confirmed.

"We're going, we're going," Jasper teased, grinning over at our father. "We've all been sequestered in this house for weeks. With that many humans around us, we'll _all_ need to hunt."

"We'll be back by sunrise," Alice vowed knowingly.

"You going?" I asked Carlisle, but my eyes flickered between him and Esme. They'd debated on attending the carnival with us but weren't sure that Archie wanted to be left alone.

As if he could hear that thought, he chuckled. "I can be alone, you know. I...appreciate the concern, but I've been by myself before."

Bella giggled. "Now that you're talking, I kinda like it. You're a bit snarky like the rest of us," she told him with a sweet laugh.

Archie smiled shyly and shrugged a shoulder. "But I'm okay alone," he urged because he just didn't want to see us worry about him.

Rose chortled, shaking her head. "I imagine that you are. In fact, I'm surprised we haven't driven you bat-shit crazy yet."

He shook his head. "No...no, not at all. But you were a lot to take in at the beginning."

I barked a laugh, thinking how noisy we'd all been cleaning up the house to move in. "I just bet we were."

"I'm sorry I didn't talk before," Archie said sadly, and he wasn't sure how to say what he'd been feeling. "I just..."

"You didn't feel safe yet. No one here thinks less of you for protecting yourself," Jasper stated firmly. "Whether you realize it or not, a part of that came from your human days."

"That's what Edward said," Archie sighed, grimacing a little. "I just wasn't used to it..."

"And then the vampire _Brady Bunch_ comes rollin' up in here," Kevin said with a laugh. "Yeah," he sighed, shaking his head. "No one blames you, Archie."

I wanted to tell Kevin that the _Brady Bunch_ reference was lost on poor Archie, but it didn't matter because Archie grasped what he was trying to say. He nodded with a smile and turned back to Carlisle.

Carlisle snickered, placing a hand on Archie's shoulder. "You guys go ahead. Esme and I will catch up."

Linking my fingers with Bella's, I said, "We'll head north. You can meet up with us when you're done."

We left Carlisle to take care of Archie's thirst, heading out into the dying light of the day. It turned into a race as we got closer to the Canada border.

~oOo~

"It sucks!" Emmett growled, folding his arms across his chest as he sat down on the log next to mine.

At first, I couldn't quite see what he was pissed off about, but then his thoughts focused in on hunting, and I had to laugh and nod at the same time. He was tired of deer and moose – as was I.

I was already finished hunting and was just waiting on everyone else after taking down two moose and two lynx. And while the lynx tasted infinitely better than than the moose, I'd had to restrain myself. Otherwise, between me and Bella, we could seriously deplete the entire population of the wild cat in the Maine and New Brunswick region. They weren't a large cat to begin with, so it definitely took more than one to even approach sating our thirst.

"I'm surprised you just didn't wake the bear up out of hibernation," I told him.

"Where's the fun in that?" he scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, sure... He's cranky, but he doesn't exactly fight back."

Laughing, I shrugged a shoulder. "You'd have to head south for what you're looking for," I explained. "Georgia? Florida, maybe?"

He nodded and didn't argue. Winter always tended to make hunting for Emmett boring when bears went into hibernation. I understood his point because I couldn't exactly hunt what I wanted, either. Mountain lions only resided in about sixteen states. Maine wasn't one of them.

"We should go to Florida...a hunting trip," he said excitedly. "You get panthers, and I get black bears."

I grinned, but it fell quickly as shook my head. "Too close to Renee," I stated. "The temptation to see her would be too much for Bella."

"Oh," he sighed, looking heartbroken for a moment. "Yeah, can't do that..."

As much as Emmett teased Bella, he would never hurt her, never want her in a position that made her uncomfortable, and we all knew that Bella would struggle if she were that close to her mother.

"I know what you're saying. But I don't see any hunting trips coming up anytime soon," I said, leaning forward with my elbows resting on my knees. "At least...not together as a family."

His nose wrinkled, but he nodded. "Archie's had it rough, man." He shook his head slowly. "He did awesome today, though."

"He did," I agreed, looking up when Bella and Rose approached us.

They were laughing together, walking almost at a human pace as they chatted about the upcoming carnival. Rose took a seat next to Emmett, leaning into his kiss to the side of her head, and Bella situated herself between my legs, snuggling closer when I wrapped my arms around her.

Burying my nose in her hair, I had to smile. She smelled like deer and chilly forest breezes and the snow from our snowball fight. No winner had been declared, but it had been an all-out war in the backyard. It had been hilarious to watch her and Carlisle pummel Jasper and Emmett with massive balls of ice.

"You really think Archie's okay by himself?" Bella asked suddenly but then rolled her eyes at her own question. "I mean, I get it...he's been alone forever, but he's been through some changes the last few weeks. Big ones."

"He's just fine, sweet girl," I soothed not only her, but Emmett and Rose, who thought it was a legit question. Tucking her hair behind her ear, I said, "He actually needed a minute alone for those very reasons. He's used to sorting things out on his own. And today was a bit overwhelming, so he just needed a chance to relax without us worrying about him."

Rose scoffed. "Like that's gonna happen," she said with a chuckle. "He's the perfect 'stray' for Mom and Dad."

We all laughed, but she was right. He was an enigma, a problem for Carlisle to solve, and he was also in serious need of care, so Esme was willing to dote on him as much as Archie would allow.

"He's not a stray," Esme argued, stepping into the clearing beside Carlisle, with Adrian and Kevin right behind them.

Grinning, Kevin shrugged a shoulder. "No, he's not, but you have to admit, he's pretty rough."

Alice and Jasper were the last to join us, and she smiled over at Kevin. "And that's why Carlisle set up this secret family meeting..."

It was true, and he wasn't sure if it could be done, but when the opportunity of leaving Archie alone presented itself, then he took advantage. He had wanted to talk to us without Archie around. It wasn't as if Carlisle was hiding anything from him, but he wanted the freedom to hear our opinions without fear of upsetting Archie.

Carlisle grinned, nodding, and then took a deep breath and turned to me. "I need to know what he's thinking, Edward. I need to know if we...if there are changes that need to be considered."

"He doesn't want us to leave," I stated as pure fact. "Yes, he's been alone his whole immortal life, but it wasn't by choice, I don't think. He enjoys the family dynamic. He likes the feeling of being included, even before he was talking."

"He's extremely grateful," Jasper added. "I mean, that's really all I'm getting from him lately. There is some residual fear that still lingers, but it isn't from us. He's just...nervous and anxious."

"I get the feeling – and it's only a guess – that he still isn't quite sure what he's capable of," I told Carlisle. "Alice has had a vision of him taking down a deer right outside the house, and it's his instincts that take over. He's terrified at first, but then he smells his prey."

"Maybe he's afraid of his own instincts," Emmett piped up, shrugging a large shoulder when we all turned our attention his way. "They can be overwhelming, but think about it... He's starved himself for so damn long, fought what he was from the very beginning, that maybe he thinks letting himself go, even to feed or just walk outside the door, is a bad thing."

"Or that something bad will happen," Bella mused. "I mean, everything that went wrong with him happened because he stepped outside his own home." She ticked off her points by holding up her fingers. "His mother's accident, his fear of the woods, his father's wrath, and then finally, his run-in with Victoria."

Kissing her head, I hummed in agreement because Archie had thought that at some point.

"Don't forget," Esme said softly, a slight grimace on her face. "His first instinct when he woke up after the change meant he brutally drank from and killed his father. Not that he didn't deserve it..." she muttered the last sentence, and we all grumbled in agreement.

"The fact that William Varner forced his son to stay out until he brought home food may have everything to do with it," Carlisle agreed, his brow furrowed in anger.

"Forced," Alice scoffed in a low growl, rolling her eyes. "He was chained to a damn tree!"

"There's a special spot in hell for Archie's dad," Rose sneered.

"No shit," Adrian and Kevin muttered at the same time.

"He has no idea just how strong he is, does he?" Jasper asked me.

"No, not at all." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Even when he was telling me about Lisa Dixon, he felt weak for taking her, but he hadn't fed – really fed – in months...years, maybe. But in his opinion, he feels that he created something worse: Caroline's and Tim's pain, worry, sadness. However, he _still_ fought his instincts up to a year before he was almost unable to stop himself. He really, really didn't want to kill a child. He'd done it before, and it almost wrecked him."

What I didn't say aloud was that was just one of the many times that Archie had tried to end his existence. It had been shortly after an orphanage had tried to take up residence in the house.

_A single drop of blood..._ Bella thought to herself, her eyes on Jasper as a flash of a papercut and a birthday party flickered through her mind.

"Don't," I growled low in her ear. "It's not like that."

She spun to face me, her face serious. _It's exactly like that, Edward. Instincts can be scary because you aren't yourself. You told me that a million times when I was human...more once I was changed._

"I know, but..."

_Archie's reaction to Lisa Dixon was a natural one...both before and after. And so was Jasper's..._

"I know that, too, but..." I sputtered because I hadn't expected this reaction from her, especially when she compared Archie's experience to Jasper. "This is different," I urged.

"How?" she asked aloud, raising an eyebrow at me.

"You guys wanna share with the rest of us?" Emmett snorted.

"No," Bella and I said at the same time, our eyes never breaking from one another's.

Bella, however, tilted her head at me. "How, Edward?"

"Because one knew better!" I snapped, my nostrils flaring at the old memory.

Bella flinched, but she stayed silent for a moment as her eyes never left my face. I forced myself to calm, but her memory of Jasper launching himself at her briefly swam across her thoughts. Jasper had attacked my mate..._mine_...knowing he'd needed to feed that day because he'd more than once told me that my own draw to Bella's blood back then had fed his own thirst. I'd long since forgiven him; neither of us were innocent in the situation. And it didn't help that I'd reacted all wrong once it was all said and done...and stitches had been sewn into my sweet girl's skin.

_I'm sorry, baby! I didn't mean to bring up bad memories, but I just saw the similarities. _Bella's hand forced my gaze to hers, and I nodded, kissing her forehead.

"No worries, sweet girl."

We both turned to Carlisle. "Sorry," we muttered.

Curious thoughts swirled throughout the entire family, but I simply shook my head, turning to Carlisle. There was no need to dredge up the past, especially when all was truly forgiven. It was why Bella had kept her communication to me silent instead of verbal. And the fact that Bella was worried about her upcoming talk with Archie wasn't helping.

"Bella and Emmett have a point," I told him. "Perhaps Archie is frightened of his own instincts."

"That would explain why he hasn't escaped that house and why he was starving," Carlisle said with a nod. "It's going to take a bit of cajoling to get him ready to even approach feeding him naturally. He'll need to be able to stay outside longer than thirty seconds."

"He just needs a slight push in order to stay a little longer every day," Alice piped up. "But I promise, he will feed on his own. Not far from the house, but it's a start."

"It is a start," Carlisle sighed before nodding and standing. "Let's head back. We'll go over all of this with Archie. See if he has any questions for us."

We all got ready to leave, but Bella stayed back, cupping my face. "I didn't mean—"

I smiled, kissing her lips to shush her. "Quiet, my love. It's an old wound. And I can't say I'm proud of the way it went, but I am a blissfully happy man now. Okay?" I kissed her again, nuzzling her nose with my own. "And like you so brilliantly pointed out once...Jasper's reaction was no different than my own that first day in biology. Hmm?"

My girl's brow was still furrowed as she let out a deep breath. "But you're right...there is a difference. No one showed Archie anything."

"True, but our nature is...sometimes unavoidable. It can't be contained. I'm sorry I snapped, baby," I said with a frown.

She smiled. "Like you said...no worries."

Chuckling, I scooped her up and tossed her across my shoulder. "Good. Then let's go, silly girl."

~oOo~

**BELLA**

"You know, you can come with us to the movies...do this shit another day, my Goddess," Kevin urged, sitting down next to me on the sofa of the library and laying his head on my shoulder.

My thoughts were shielded as I shook my head no, but my eyes stayed locked on the forms out in the backyard. I rested my cheek on the top of Kevin's head and sighed. I could see from where we were and without hearing them that Carlisle wasn't convincing Edward to go anywhere. I'd hoped I could talk to Archie with just Carlisle and myself, but Edward wasn't having it. Not one bit of it.

"Heavy E just wants to be there for you, B," Kevin whispered low. "That's all. I know he tends to...beat himself up over your past."

"I know, but..."

"But you hate to see his pain," Kevin finished for me. He snickered a bit and then kissed my cheek. "So stubborn...the both of you. And all over looking out for the other."

I grinned, glaring at him through narrowed eyes when he sat up straight. "Hush," I chided gently, reaching up to poke at his gelled hair. "Now, are you sure you'll be okay in public without my shield?"

"Goddess, I'm damn sure I'm not going to take anyone from some backwoods mall movie theater. You know I have better..._taste_ than that," he teased, laughing when I snorted at him. He leaned in to whisper, "Besides, Alice sees everything going just fine."

"Good. Now, go," I ordered, giving him a playful shove.

"'Kay. Love ya," he sang and was out the door in a flash.

Carlisle and I had requested everyone leave the house for this talk. He'd suggested a matinee movie before we all had to get ready for the carnival later that night. Edward's and my past tended to dredge up old feelings of regret, disappointment, and anger. Most of that was from Edward himself, and _that_, I didn't want, but I could see that it was a futile request as he continued to stand steadfast with his arms folded across his chest as Carlisle talked relentlessly to him.

_Edward, get in here_, I finally thought to him, but I immediately shielded my mind again.

My handsome husband's head spun toward the window, and then he was inside quickly. "Bella, please..." he begged, kneeling down at my feet.

"Just...stay," I finally caved.

His brow furrowed as he studied my face, his frown looking just this shy of an adorable pout. "I can't hear you."

"No. No, you can't," I agreed, tracing a finger across his eyebrow, along his jaw, and over his bottom lip. "You will, but I need to think about how I want to do this, so right now, you can't."

"Fair enough, sweet girl," he conceded softly, looking a bit chastised.

"Hey," I soothed, cupping either side of his face and bringing him in for a kiss. "Everything I'm about to tell Archie is over and done with...forgiven and forgotten. You know that, right?" I asked, and he nodded, but his face wasn't exactly convincing. "This isn't for you to relive...just to explain. Because you know that I love..."

"The man that came back more than the one that left," he finished for me, sounding like a child that had memorized a passage. He grinned sweetly when I giggled and nodded.

"And they say old dogs can't be taught new tricks," I teased, squealing when tickling fingers attacked relentlessly.

Tugging me to the edge of the sofa, Edward pressed his forehead to mine. "I want to stay. Archie will have questions for me. And when you're done, I want to be here to hold you, because I know – despite how strong you are – that you don't like telling it."

I nodded, my eyes stinging with the need to shed tears that I couldn't, because he was too sweet for words sometimes. He was right. I didn't like telling it. The ache that came with describing how he'd left me was almost as excruciating as the day he'd done it. I kissed him roughly, and we both glanced up when Archie walked into the room with Esme. Carlisle was right behind them.

"You're not going?" I asked her.

"Both my dates are here," she teased with a grin, gesturing to Carlisle and Edward. "No way. I'm not gonna be a fifth wheel."

"Trust me, one dateless night is _nothing_," Edward muttered wryly, smirking when we all chuckled at him.

"Hush, you," she hissed, ruffling his hair.

Edward stood, but dropped one long kiss to my forehead before picking up a guitar he'd promised Jasper he'd re-string. I imagined it was to keep his hands busy while I talked. He sat down in the chair by the tall windows.

I smiled at Archie as he took a seat next to me. Carlisle and Esme sat on the loveseat across from us. Archie handed me back Edward's book, and I took it quietly, thumbing through the pages. It smelled faintly of Archie, but Edward's scent was pretty embedded in there from all the times he'd read it.

I traced my finger around the Cullen crest on the front of the book, taking a deep breath. "Archie, when I wrote this for Edward, I was already changed," I started, glancing over at him, and he nodded, his eyes sincere and wide. "Four years after I was changed," I added, just so he understood.

"Okay," he said softly, and I smiled because it was nice to hear his voice. It was soft, sweet, polite, and it reminded me a little of Adrian, with a touch of Edward thrown in.

I nodded, sniffed, and looked over at Carlisle, only to focus back on Archie. "The reason they're all here is because the time after this book ends," I said, tapping the cover, "is when things become...hard. You're not the only one that was hurt by someone they trusted. I don't tell this story often because everyone in the house, aside from Kevin and Adrian, lived it."

"You...You don't have to," Archie stated, glancing between my face and over to Edward, who remained quiet, but his eyes were dark and downcast to the instrument in his hands.

"Yes, I do. I made a deal with you, and I intend to follow through, but I'd like to ask something of you before I start," I responded, tilting my head at him. When he nodded, I said, "I'd really like you to listen with an open mind and not judge...anyone in this room."

His brow furrowed, but he nodded once more.

"Good," I sighed, turning to my side so that I was facing him. "You need to understand something, if you didn't pick up on it already in this book. When vampires mate, it's instant, it's permanent, and it's all-consuming. And if you've fought your natural instincts for a hundred years, then when something major changes you, it can be so very overwhelming. Understand?"

"Yes," he stated firmly, nodding.

"You already know that Carlisle and his family would establish residence in various cities in order to live somewhat normally," I started, having to remove myself from the scenario just a bit. "So after prom, Emmett, Jasper, and Rose graduated...again, and Edward, Alice, and I moved up to our senior year of high school. That summer was fun, we hung out, I worked a part-time job, and when school started again, the three of us started together."

A loud snap echoed in the room, and Edward set the unstrung guitar down, glaring out the window, a new but now snapped guitar string on the floor in two pieces. Carlisle must have said something to him silently because he simply nodded.

In order to do this, to comfort Edward, as well as be truthful to Archie, I just...started. Opening my mind, I decided to let Edward into my thoughts and tell this story as quickly as possible, like tearing off a band-aid.

"As you know, I was still human when I started that next year of school," I began, making sure Archie was listening to me and not paying attention to Edward, who stood up to gaze out the window. "I turned eighteen that year, and Alice wanted to throw me a party," I told him.

I described my attitude about parties, about how I'd never wanted to celebrate my birthday because my age had been a bone of contention between Edward and me. He'd loved my humanity, wanted to revel in it. I, on the other hand, had wanted to be as close to his age as possible. I told Archie that I'd wanted immortality, if only because I'd known what I had with Edward would never end, that it would always be there.

Describing that day at school, the party at the Cullen home afterward, and Jasper's unfortunate reaction was hard, but Archie listened intently, wincing when he realized I'd been injured.

I sighed deeply before continuing on with the story, glancing over at Carlisle for a brief moment. "There was a great big debate back then, something that had been going on way before I entered the picture, Archie. Carlisle, as you know, is a minister's son. Edward, as you also know, was rather devout when he was changed, as well. They had differing opinions of their souls and where their lot was cast in life now that they weren't human anymore. I don't know what you believe, but I wasn't...educated in religion. It wasn't something that was prominent in my life." I paused, biting my lip for a moment. "But those two," I said, pointing to Carlisle and Edward, "think differently. See...Carlisle believes that if we do our best with the life that's given us, then perhaps we stand a chance when we're finally face to face with God. Edward, however, believed – and I use past tense for a reason – that the very second we were changed, we lost our souls completely. So, to him, to change me meant that I would lose my soul, too. Do you see where I'm coming from?"

Archie nodded. "If my human days at church taught me anything, then I'd have to agree with Carlisle. You can repent, ask for forgiveness, and change your life. At least, that's what was written..."

"Yes," I praised. "Exactly. And Edward, at the time, disagreed. He felt all immortals were damned, no matter what."

"You don't believe that way now?" Archie asked, glancing up at Edward, whose back was to the room.

"No, I don't," my husband stated softly, never turning around. "Whatever soul I felt I'd lost was returned to me when I met Bella." It was such a simple statement, but it was delivered with an almost harsh tone. "Though, I didn't realize it until it was almost too late."

I grimaced a little at that but faced Archie again. "So, as you can see, Edward didn't want to change me. He felt he'd be destroying my soul, taking away all that a human life could offer – like children, a future, a career – so he denied me constantly." I paused, smiling at Archie's expression. "I see you agree. Trust me, I didn't want children, and it didn't matter in the long run...you'll see."

Continuing with the story, I explained Edward's quick withdrawal from me the few days after my birthday. Taking a deep breath, I told Archie about that last walk into the woods, about Edward saying it was time for them to leave. My heart hurt when he denied everything, but I told it anyway – he didn't want me, he would simply disappear, and it would be as if he'd never existed.

"Christ," Edward breathed, his forehead hitting the window in front of his face with a dull thunk. He turned to face Archie. "Yes, I just...left her," he stated softly through gritted teeth. "All of it was blasphemous lies, but I thought she'd be better off!"

Esme quietly got up from the loveseat and walked to him, taking his hand in hers.

"He left you there?" Archie verified, glancing between us. "But you knew... I thought humans couldn't know. And you're...mates."

I smiled sadly, but nodded. "This is where I'm going to ask you not to judge him, Archie. He didn't want to destroy me, and he felt that everything that surrounded him was a danger to me."

Edward scoffed, but Esme shushed him gently.

"He felt that if he could leave me, he'd be protecting me, you see?" I sighed at the sight of Archie's furrowed brow. "What he didn't know was that I can find danger...anywhere," I chuckled humorlessly. "I didn't need a coven of vampires to get in trouble, trust me."

Edward leaned back against the window, and I felt his eyes on me as I began to tell the next stage of the story. I'd have to explain to Jake at another time that I'd outed his pack, but he trusted me, so I was pretty sure he'd be okay with it. I told of depression and threats from my parents, about retreating into myself and away from my friends at school, and I finally talked about the rez and the pack.

Jake's abuse was harder to get through than I'd thought it would be. There was still a part of me that felt small and weak at the sound of what I'd endured, but I spoke of bruises, hits, threats, and finally the loss of the ability to have children, which caused a dawning expression of realization to cross Archie's face.

"How long?" he asked.

"Two years," Carlisle stated softly, sitting forward in his seat and leaning his elbows on his knees. "Trust me, Archie, had we known, we would've returned sooner. None of us are innocent in this situation, except for Bella herself. She did nothing wrong to earn any of it." He locked gazes with me to make sure I'd heard him reiterate something he'd said more times than I could count. "I will tell you this... Both of my children suffered."

Archie looked to Edward, who answered his thoughts. "I ran like a coward, Archie. I ran to keep from falling at Bella's feet and giving into my selfish nature. I hid like a slug under a rock in Brazil, trying to starve myself. And I ran to find Victoria," he said, his black, angry gaze locking with Archie's. "I tried many times to track her, but she was...elusive. There's no excuse for what I did."

Archie's sweet face was troubled when he looked to me.

"Yes, dammit!" Edward sneered. "I checked on her...just not closely enough!"

"Edward," I sighed, begging him silently to please calm down, and Esme tried to help.

"Sorry, Bella," he murmured contritely, facing the window once more, and Esme wrapped an arm around his waist. "I know, I know," he sighed, the sound barely making it to my ears.

"I took a year off from school, but when I started my first few college courses..." I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, and then swallowed thickly. "I'd learned to live with the pain, learned to cope with it. Hell, I'd even learned to avoid Jake's temper, for the most part. But the last really big fight we had, he slapped my face, and I tried to walk away from him because he asked me the one question that I had no lie for."

"What?" Archie whispered.

"He asked me..." I glanced over at Edward, whose expression had gone from fiery ire-filled to soft, loving, and oh-so-worried. "He asked me who I'd rather be with... Someone that had picked me up, dusted me off, and kept me sane, or the one person that wasn't there."

"You told him Edward," Archie surmised, wrinkling his nose a little.

"I did." I bit back a sob, facing him. "And it earned me a rather large bruise across my face." I smiled sadly. "But it was...and would always be...the truth."

Archie nodded, his face solemn.

"Now you understand why she doesn't tell this story often, Archie," Carlisle soothed, giving me a warm, encouraging smile, and Archie hummed in acknowledgment. "Mistakes were made, but they were all with good intentions. No one could've possibly known what would happen because poor Alice can't see anything when the wolves are in the picture."

"That next day," I continued, ready to be done with this whole conversation, "I had made the decision to let Jake go, to distance myself from him. I'd skipped class and was sitting on the shore when Victoria found me...and right behind her was Edward."

Edward was suddenly in front of me, turning me to face him. "Look at me, sweet girl," he soothed, brushing my hair away from my face. "So strong, so beautiful..." he rambled softly. Without taking his honey gaze from mine, he said, "She's stronger than I am, Archie. She always will be. And she didn't have to take me back, but she did. Now can you understand why I don't deserve her?"

"Yes," Archie stated, which caused Edward and me to glance over at him. He was wearing a wry smile. "But you were confused."

"Yes, I was," Edward admitted, nodding once. "The story doesn't end there. Bella had many issues to overcome when I returned – many to do with me, and many concerning Jacob Black. And it took a few months before Victoria actually attempted to harm Bella, but she succeeded. I had no alternative but to change her. And now...I don't regret it."

I smiled, cupping my handsome Edward's face. "You'd better not."

He looked every bit the seventeen-year-old when he chuckled softly, his eyes on mine. "Not a minute."

"Good," I told him, but switched to thoughts. _Baby, can we stay out after the carnival? Just...anywhere? Just us?_

"Yes," he whispered, nodding a few times, but his gaze was fierce, intense, staring at me like I was his salvation. "Anything you want." He glanced over at the clock on the mantle and then back to me. "We'd better start getting ready. Their movie's most likely over by now. I really don't need Alice yelling at me because I haven't gotten dressed yet."

Esme and I giggled, and Carlisle muttered, "No kidding." He turned to Archie. "You'll be okay alone? Esme and I won't be out as long as the rest of them, but..."

Archie held up a hand and smiled. "I'm okay," he said softly and then turned to me. "Thank you. I...I understand now why you don't speak of it." His brow wrinkled, and whatever he was thinking made Edward chuckle. "I can't imagine you two apart, but...it seems that you've overcome a lot."

With a small smile, I said, "I have. _We_ have."

Perceptive thing that he was, he turned to Carlisle. "You wanted me to hear this. This is why you kept saying that I needed to listen to them."

Carlisle nodded. "I did. And yes, you have a lot in common with the two of them. I think what I'd like to do is work with you like I worked with them when we came back and after Bella's change. A little talking, a lot of hard work, and I think you can set yourself some small achievable goals, Archie."

Archie took a deep breath, sighed, and stood up. "Okay. Tomorrow?"

"Bella and I are going to stay out tonight, but will tomorrow afternoon be okay?" Edward offered.

With a smile, he said, "Yes, but I'd really like you here...you know...just in case."

I could understand that Archie had grown attached to having Edward hear his thoughts, and it was quite possible that he'd want my shield around him if he tried stepping outside again, so I smiled at him.

"No problem, Archie," I said, taking Edward's hand when it was offered and standing up from the sofa. "We'll be here."

* * *

**A/N... I know this was kind of a hard chapter to get through, but it was needed. Bella had promised Archie he could hear it, Carlisle had told him he'd needed to listen, but poor Edward hates hearing it. I couldn't have written this in Edward's POV...it would've been too much.**

**What I want you to know is that Archie's reason for not speaking in the first place was self-preservation and a touch of lingering fear, not to mention just plain old habit. Like Jasper said, he was unsure of them, but the family has finally made Archie comfortable enough to express himself verbally. Does that make sense?**

**Now... NOW it's time for Halloween. LOL ;) Sorry about the last few emotional chapters, but they were quite needed to move us along. I finished this chapter on time, and the next one is looking pretty good. I think Wednesday is looking okay for the next posting. I'm just glad this one came out easier than I'd expected. :) On that note, tell me what you're thinking... Until next time... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N... HAPPY HALLOWEEN! ;D It seems fitting that I'm posting this on the actual day. It wasn't completely planned that way. The last chapter, however, set it into motion, I suppose.**

**Speaking of last chapter... I'm glad that some of you were okay that I did Edward and Bella's history the way I did, because after 3 very long fics, it's been a long time since you've heard it. And yes, Archie totally needed to know... Some said to knock Edward off a slight pedestal, others said that he needed an ally in Bella, but mainly, he needed to know that despite how badly things were, they can improve. Our E & B are prime example of how things can improve, that's for sure.**

**For my betting Firefighters... ;) Let's see... You're betting Archie will mate. And there's a split down the middle as to whether Archie goes outside by himself. We've got some time before we approach anywhere near these issues. I'm sure I'll be addressing one if not both of those things, but not for some time.**

**This chapter is... Well, this was a whole lot of fun to write. If the reactions of my pre-readers are any indication, then family time was needed. There are no warnings with this chapter. Just have fun with it. Enjoy, and see me at the bottom.**

* * *

Chapter 15

**BELLA**

I felt raw and ragged around the edges as Edward led me out of the library. The talk with Archie, while beneficial for him, had left me feeling everything on the surface. Edward had to have been feeling the same because his grip on my hand was unrelenting.

He paused in the doorway, turning to face Archie. "No, I didn't. Jake is still alive," he stated without any emotion. "Though, it wasn't for lack of trying...twice."

My nose wrinkled, knowing that Archie had just mentally asked Edward if he'd killed the man that had harmed me.

Turning to face Archie, I said, "Jacob redeemed himself, Archie. I promise. In fact, he spent quite a few years trying to make up for all that he did. He's now an extremely loyal friend."

Edward nodded in agreement, but squeezed my hand. His thumb rubbed my knuckles over and over, but he chuckled softly. A small, almost evil smile curled up on Archie's face, giving him the look of a slightly mischievous little boy.

"Yes, I'd like to see him try to slap her now, as well," he stated with a grin. "He wouldn't survive it."

"No, he probably wouldn't," Archie concurred with a slow shake of his head.

Rolling my eyes at the two of them – they were more alike than I'd realized – I turned to head upstairs. Once we were in our room, I was instantly scooped up into very strong arms, and my body immediately wrapped around Edward – my arms around his head as he buried his face into my neck and my legs around his waist.

The ache in my chest gave a heavy lurch before finally settling down as I inhaled the only scent that could calm it. I didn't want apologies for the things we'd just dredged up – though the way he was holding me was one all on its own.

Edward sat down on the chaise in our room, hugging me tightly. We were quiet for a moment, and the sound of his breathing, the scent of just...home, and the feel of his arms wrapped all the way around me settled me down, grounded me in a way that no spoken words could. No matter how many times we'd gone over our time apart, my relationship with Jake, or even how Edward had left me, it still left us a little edgy, a touch desperate, and a whole lot clingy. Sometimes, the past had to be brought up, and sometimes, memories just...happened. We tried our best to accept it for what it was: just us.

"I love you...so much," he murmured against my ear softly.

I smiled and let out a deep breath. I'd needed to hear that more than anything. Pulling back, I cupped either side of his handsome face.

"I love you, too, Edward," I responded almost in a reflex action, but I brushed his hair from his forehead to place a long, slow kiss to his wrinkled brow. "Stop with the worry wrinkles," I said, smiling against his brow that smoothed out underneath my lips.

He chuckled a little, dragging his fingertips up and down my spine. His laugh didn't last long, and he sighed deeply, saying, "I can't help it, love. You handled that better than I did."

I didn't say anything, but I did lean in to kiss him. What started out as something that was comforting and soothing soon skyrocketed into something heated and needy. Fingers wove into hair and gripped clothing, heavy breaths mingled together, teeth scraped across wet lips, and tongues swirled together to claim, taste, and imitate actions other parts of our bodies wanted. Edward fisted my hair, turning my head to deepen the kiss at the same time that my hips rolled heavy against his. Denim rubbed denim, causing a vibrating feeling that seemed to only spur us on. I whimpered like a child when Edward stilled my movements, pulling back, only to press his forehead to mine.

"Edward," I breathed.

"Shh, baby," he soothed, locking gazes with me. His eyes were pitch black, his breathing heavy. "As much as I wish we could continue this... We can't." My pout merely caused him to smile sweetly. "Believe me, I want to, but Alice is requesting that the girls get ready together. They're almost home, sweetheart."

I nodded, frowning a little. Edward's fingers glided down my cheek, but he smiled softly.

"Where do you want to go after tonight, Bella?" he asked.

I shrugged, because in all reality, I just didn't care. I wanted him alone – just the two of us – and I didn't even care if we stayed in the woods, a cheap motel, or even broke into someplace for the night. It really didn't matter to me. Edward chuckled at my rambling thoughts that even to me sound like a pouting, selfish child because I just wanted him all to myself. Hell, I'd be happy to watch movies all night somewhere curled up with him.

He grinned, kissed my face all over, and then held either side of it to make sure I was listening. "No breaking in anywhere...and no woods. Do you trust me?"

Rolling my eyes, I scoffed. "Of course."

"Good," he grunted dramatically before dropping a long kiss to my neck. "Then I'll figure something out, my sweet girl. Okay?"

"'Kay," I agreed, kissing him again, and before it could go too far, the sounds of our siblings came crashing in the front door.

"Come...we'll grab a shower, and then the girls can have you. Deal?" he asked, though I was pretty sure he was saying that more for Alice's benefit than mine.

"Deal," I said, squealing into a giggle when he grabbed me roughly and tore into the bathroom.

Our touches in the bathroom were a combination of helpful and naughty, mixed with a few silly smiles just to help push away the long, emotional afternoon. It was soapy touches, slippery kisses, and teasing, but we took it no further than that. By the time I'd toweled off and donned a robe, Alice was there to yank me from the room, giving Edward a cheesy smile, which merely made him roll his eyes and wave us away.

I was rather happy that my costume was a simple dress. I'd worn complicated and sexy, silly and cheesy. This was a simple sequined dress, low-cut, with long tassels and a matching wrap to go with it. My hair, on the other hand, had to be smoothed into a specific style to match the 1920s time. Technically, it would've been too long for that era, but Rose was doing her best to curl it into soft, smooth waves.

I could hear the boys' laughter throughout the house, taunting one another about their costumes, but Emmett's excitement over the coming festival overrode the constant complaining about his outfit. He'd accepted his hippy costume and was now ready to take on the rides, music, and fun of the fair.

The girls made no mention of the conversation that I'd had earlier with Archie, and I was pretty sure Alice knew that Edward and I would be staying out for the night, but instead of asking me about it, they rambled on about different topics to help keep my mood up. If anyone understood what it was like talking about their past, it was Rose, so she calmly got to work on my hair immediately.

My makeup was kept simple, except for my eyes. They were smoky, dark, and accentuated with heavy mascara. Blush and lipstick were added, if only to give my face the appearance of human-like color.

Once we were all dressed, I had to giggle. Alice looked adorable, all tiny in a big red dress that swirled out around her like a dome. She looked the part of the Southern Belle – fan and all. Dressed in a flowy, floral skirt and a shirt that showed off just a bit of her stomach, Rose stood tall, looking like she'd just stepped onto the fair grounds at Woodstock in 1969. She wore beads around her neck and wrists, and her hair was parted down the middle, having been meticulously ironed flat. All that was missing was the joint and the mud – a thought that unfortunately escaped me, sending Edward into hysterics downstairs in the living room.

I rolled my eyes at his laughter, but in all reality, it was him that I couldn't wait to see. I really, really just needed to see my husband dressed in the era from which he came. Although, Jasper had me pretty damn curious, too. I was fairly certain it was just because I appreciated their history so much.

"Okay, okay," Alice said with a laugh. "Let's go."

Rose and I followed her down the stairs, but I had to make sure my shield was down over my mind because my thoughts flew way out of my control. Jasper met his wife at the bottom most step, taking her hand and kissing the top of it. He was straight out of the Civil War, looking chivalrous, handsome, and slightly cocky with a crooked smile. I was afraid to ask if the gun strapped at his hip was the real damn thing.

Edward was leaning against the wall, the modern phone in his hand contrasting so very sharply with the rest of his attire. I couldn't see his face because his riot of hair was covered by the fedora. His thumb swept over the screen once, twice, three times, and when he finally pocketed it and glanced up, he looked much older than the seventeen in which he was frozen. At that moment, he could've easily passed for twenty-five. A black overcoat shielded most of the pinstripe suit, his white tie was knotted perfectly at his throat, and his legs uncrossed before he made his way to me.

I huffed an incredulous laugh because nothing could have prepared me for that serious amount of handsome, especially when he gazed up at me through his long eyelashes with a fire that made me lick my lips.

_Who tied your tie, handsome?_ I asked him silently, which made him smile, because despite his long years on this planet, my sweet Edward couldn't get a tie straight to save his immortal life.

He grinned, and a hand went to the knot absentmindedly. "Esme." Those same fingers shot out to toy with the long tassels of my dress along my side. "You look..."

"Stunning?" Rose offered with a laugh.

"Perfect?" Alice giggled because I couldn't imagine what Edward was deciding over and over at that moment.

"Yes...exactly," he whispered, taking my hand and raising it above my head so he could twirl me around.

When I was facing him again, he kissed the top of my hand, and I swear to God, I tried not to swoon, but it was nearly impossible as I watched his head bow with that hat on. However, he smiled against my skin.

"Shut up, Edward." I laughed, looking away from him, but he merely tugged me to his side, kissing my temple as he chuckled at my inability to barely look at him. Patting his coat, I couldn't help but tease him. "Where's your gun?" I asked, having put it with his suit once it had arrived.

He gestured over to the table by the door where the toy machine gun was sitting, but he sighed and rolled his eyes when Kevin, Adrian, and Emmett walked into the room.

"If you don't know where to find Heavy E's...ahem..._gun_, then you've got bigger problems than I thought," Kevin snorted, giving me a wink.

I opened my mouth to counter with facts of just where and how big said..._gun _was, but Edward growled, "Don't even think about it, Isabella."

I sighed in mock defeat, but I had to grin at my brothers. Kevin and Adrian looked like they'd stepped right out of the movie _Grease_. Their hair was slicked back, their jeans rolled up at the cuff, and their white T-shirts accentuated their physiques.

"Nice," I told Kevin, gesturing between them.

"You sure?" he asked, spinning in front of me. "I still have the bustier and the fishnets upstairs..."

Adrian glared at Kevin with narrowed eyes, shaking his head profusely behind his back.

"Nope...I think you're good." I chuckled, shaking my head at poor Adrian's sigh of relief.

But it was Emmett my eyes fell to. My laughter burst out of me, and the rest of my siblings and Edward joined me. Wearing faded bell-bottom jeans and the denim jacket that Rose had sewn patches onto, he stood there larger than life and shirtless underneath. And it only made it funnier as I took in hand-painted peace signs, hearts, and flowers that were all over his chest and face.

"Don't hate," he said with a pout before grinning his usual boyish smile. "I'm rockin' this, and you fuckin' know it!"

"Emmett!" Esme sighed exasperatedly as she and Carlisle walked into the room. They were dressed in their normal clothes, looking like the parents they were about to pose as.

As we got coats and purses together, Archie leaned in the doorway of the library to watch us.

"You'll be okay alone?" Esme asked him – probably for the hundredth time.

"Yes," he said with a slight nod, but a small smile curled the corners of his mouth.

Edward chuckled. "Because occasionally we have to make appearances in the towns we live in, Archie. It keeps up the pretenses."

"And we might as well have fun doing it," Alice added with a grin, shrugging her shoulder that was now draped with a black shawl.

"Okay." He snickered a little, shaking his head.

"Well," Emmett huffed dramatically. "Rules for staying home by yourself: No loud parties, no drinking, and no girls." He ticked these things off on his large fingers, the last thing making Archie glance down at his feet shyly.

"Those are just _your_ rules," Rose chortled, playfully shoving Emmett toward the front door.

"Yeah, everyone else can handle being alone. _You _need a babysitter," Kevin piped up, bolting out into the front yard when Emmett gave chase.

"Idiots," Edward sighed, fighting his smile but turning back to Archie. "You'll be fine, Archie. Ignore them. Alice sees you having no problems while we're gone."

"Exactly," Esme crooned to him. "We'll only be a few hours, so we'll see you soon. Okay?"

Archie smiled and nodded at her, looking almost like a little boy. "Okay," he said, giving us all a shy wave as we left the house.

Edward held the passenger side door for me, holding my hand as I got in. I smiled up at him before he closed the door. Leaning in, he kissed my lips gently.

"I've plans for you when we're done with this fair, my sweet, gorgeous girl," he whispered, gazing once again through his long eyelashes. "But I'd like to surprise you, if that's all right with you."

Grinning, I nodded, because he knew I wasn't a huge fan of surprises, but in this case, I had given him permission. And as he stood there looking like sex incarnate dressed the way he was, there wasn't anything he'd offer that I'd decline.

"Good," he gushed, kissing me one more time.

Unable to resist it, I reached up and trailed a finger around the brim of his hat, and his eyes followed the movement before locking back with my own.

"I knew you'd look good, but you really are handsome..."

He grinned shyly, glancing down briefly before chuckling once. "I'm glad you think so, Bella. Your opinion is the only one that counts. Shall we?" he asked, gesturing to the rest of the family, who were already pulling out of the driveway.

When I nodded, he smiled again, closing the passenger side door.

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

Grimacing as I parked next to Carlisle, I had to shake my head. It had been a few weeks since I'd been near the town, so the all-out assault of a couple of hundred minds hitting me at one time was just a bit overwhelming. It was all ages, hyped up on too much food, drink, and adrenaline.

The scents were no better once I opened the door. I laughed and groaned at the same time because we'd been living sequestered for so long. The nauseating stench of humans, their food, and their blood slammed into me. It was grease, sweat, cologne, sugar, hay, exhaust, and barnyard animals all rolled into one giant pile, not to mention blood, arousal, and menstruation cycles two cars over, where a group of six teenagers were roughhousing in the parking lot.

Bella gazed worriedly up at me, her nose wrinkling at the same time. "You okay?"

"Yes," I said with a chuckle. "I just have to get used to sorting through all these minds. It's been a few weeks." She opened her mouth to ask a question, but I cut her off with a kiss. "And no, I don't need your shield, sweet girl, but thank you."

Her eyes narrowed on me, but I could see that all I'd have to do was say the word, and every mind would blissfully disappear. However, in situations like these, I needed to hear them, needed to make sure that the facade was accepted. If I was unable to hear, it would make me uncomfortable, despite having Alice there.

"Okay," she huffed, taking my hand as I helped her out of the Volvo. "If you're sure..."

"I am. Promise," I vowed, glancing up when the entire family joined us.

Kevin grinned, giving the blinking lights and bustle of the fair a long, slow gaze. "Ten vamps...and well over two hundred humans..." he mused, chuckling a little. "We could devastate the entire town right here."

Emmett cracked up, but Jasper and I actually were calculating those odds. In all reality, we could clear the entire fair of all human life without even a second thought. A single vampire could cause a lot of damage alone, but ten was almost the size of a newborn army. And the talents that we had in our midst would only add to our advantage.

With smiles at each other, we said, "Yes, in less than fifteen minutes."

"Edward!" Bella gasped, but broke into the sweetest of giggles.

"What?" I asked innocently, grinning down at her. "You have no idea what I almost did to get to you that first day of school. This..." I waved a hand around. "This is nothing."

Carlisle chuckled, shaking his head. "All my teaching...gone... Poof!"

"Oh, damn, Heavy E, you so almost annihilated the school, didn't you?" Kevin asked with a laugh.

"Just one classroom," I defended, kissing Bella's temple when she groaned. "So, yeah, Kevin, we have the ability to wipe out an entire town."

"Don't let it go to your head, Kev," Adrian snorted, rolling his eyes. "Okay?"

"Fine, fine... So what's first?" Kevin asked, still grinning over that last conversation. "The live music isn't for an hour or so."

"Rides!" Bella and Emmett stated at the same time, giving each other a fist bump.

"Rides it is," Carlisle said, leading us all toward the entry gate.

Because we weren't as prominent in Caribou as we had been other towns, the spectacle of our arrival was a little ridiculous. The townspeople knew who we were, even if they'd only heard about us through the rumor mill. And we fit exactly with what they'd expected, though our looks took them slightly aback. They registered our money, looks, and confidence as we walked the main fairway.

Ghosts, goblins, superheroes, zombies, and of course, vampires surrounded us all in every age. It seemed that in addition to the kids, most of the adults enjoyed dressing up, as well. From what I gathered from their minds, it was a tradition.

And then there was the opposite and darker problem.

Drunken lust swarmed over Jasper, causing him to growl, because mixed in with that was seedier feelings, like control, want, and deception. My eyes scanned around us, only to find a group of men sitting at a table with beers in their hands. From what I could gather – and smell – they worked at a local junk yard. Their ages ranged from mid-twenties, to late forties, and they weren't exactly hiding the way that they were staring that the girls – all of them. Some of the men were already imagining themselves in various situations, what the girls looked like bare, and exactly where they'd accomplish this act.

When the smallest of the group envisioned tearing my wife's dress, my almost feral glare his way stopped him short. His heart rate picked up in fear, and his brow broke out in a sweat. Giving his drink his attention, his thoughts turned to something else, rather than my mate.

Granted, I could understand. Bella was a vision dressed in sequins, tassels, and long, chestnut hair. It took all I had not to kiss her into oblivion when she first descended the stairs at home because it was better than any fantasy I'd ever had about my girl dressed in clothes from _my_ time. The old-fashioned part of me had always wondered what it would've been like had I met her then – not that I would've been in any control around her as a two-year-old immortal.

I turned to Carlisle. "We may have...problems if their alcohol consumption continues," I told him low enough that only my family could hear it above the din of the fair.

He sighed but nodded. "Liquid courage..." he muttered, but in his mind, he promised to keep a close watch, as well.

We arrived to some sort of ride most of my siblings wanted to ride, and Bella turned to me.

"Going?" she asked, and her beautiful shoes made her tall enough that she didn't have to stand on her toes to kiss me.

"Not yet, sweet girl," I told her. "I will, but I need to listen for just a few, okay?"

She nodded, kissed me again, and followed after Rose, Emmett, Kevin, Alice, and Jasper over to something called "The Zipper." I had to chuckle at them all playing around in line, simply because the minds around them weren't second guessing their ages at the moment. Plus, my sweet girl looked much happier than she had earlier in the day.

"Edward?" I heard behind me, and spun to see Mrs. Delap walking my way. "It is Edward, right?" she verified.

"Yes, ma'am." I smiled politely, holding out my hand to shake hers, but I turned to Carlisle next to me. "Mrs. Delap, this is my father and my mother, Carlisle and Esme Cullen," I introduced with a smile and a hand on Adrian's shoulder. "And my foster brother, Adrian."

"Ah, the realtor!" Esme gushed with a smile, shaking the woman's hand. "It's nice to finally meet you face to face."

Fighting my smile, I shook my head a little at Mrs. Delap's assessment of my parents. She noted that they seemed young for the ages of children they had, but then she remembered that we were all adopted or foster kids. She was absolutely floored at Esme's beauty as they discussed the house and past communications, but mentally noted Carlisle's looks, too...from head to toe. Over and over.

_Is she mackin' on Dad?_ Adrian asked me silently, which caused me to spin my head to grin at him.

"Yes," I said with a low chuckle.

Carlisle gave us both a raised eyebrow in warning, but we merely smiled innocently at him. _Shut up, son_.

I had to focus elsewhere, lest I laugh out loud, so I turned to watch my siblings and Bella on the ride, and then I gave the fair a long, slow appraisal. There were rides I knew my girl would want to ride, games she'd want to play, and suddenly, I realized someone was staring at me.

Mrs. Delap was joined by her daughter, the same girl we'd seen in town the night we went to buy the video cameras. Right behind her was a small group of her friends, including the boyfriend that Mrs. Delap didn't particularly care for. There were three girls dressed up for the holiday and two boys, who were wearing jeans, T-shirts, and jackets. Two of the girls were some sort of combination zombie and cheerleader, the other one dressed as a pirate wench. It was one of the former that approached the woman talking with my mother.

"Mom, we need money," she whispered, but her eyes raked over me and Adrian before locking back onto her mother.

"Story of your life, Tara," Mrs. Delap stated wryly, but placed a hand on eye-rolling Tara's shoulder. "Sweetie, these are the Cullens. They moved into the old Varner home. Carlisle, Esme, Adrian, and Edward."

A derisive snort came from the back of the group, and I locked eyes with the young man that had been with Tara the last time I'd seen her. He didn't like us, but it may have had something to do with our money, just because we were new, or even our looks, but really, he didn't like that Tara had chattered non-stop about us to her friends after seeing us the first time.

"Hi," Tara said shyly, giving us all a wave, and we returned the gesture.

"These are the rest of her clan," Mrs. Delap continued.

She introduced her daughter's friends. The other zombie was Faith, and the pirate was Lacey. Dustin was way too interested in the corndog he was eating to notice anything, but the final boy was Ronnie. His thoughts were hateful and rude, but he waved anyway because he really didn't want to piss off his girlfriend's mother.

The rest of my siblings joined us, and more introductions were made. I wanted to groan when Mrs. Delap suggested we all continue together down the fairway, but I forced my attention to Bella.

"You _have_ to ride that," she said with a giggle, giving the human teenagers a side glance.

"Really?" I gushed right back at her. "Why's that?"

"'Cause it's fast," she told me, laughing when I raised an eyebrow at her. _Okay, so not as fast as you, but you'd like it, silly ass. _Her teasing made me chuckle, but she switched gears on me. _You and Adrian are being crushed on,_ she thought with a warning.

"I know," I muttered back, but shrugged a shoulder because there wasn't much I could do about it.

_And...the two boys have seemed to have picked up on Kevin, _she said, her eyes narrowing on their childish laughter.

This added a new element to things that I wasn't prepared for. Small towns – like the lady at the newspaper had told us – can, in fact, have small minds. Dustin and Ronnie were making fun of Kevin's sexuality, because Kevin didn't always hide it. It was something we'd immediately accepted about our youngest brother but hadn't given much thought to how the humans would perceive him. Who knew that I'd have to worry about that more than our immortality at the moment.

I huffed a humorless laugh, shaking my head, but truly, my anger was getting the better of me. I locked eyes with Emmett, who was asking what the problem was, but for now, I simply shook my head. However, my largest brother wasn't stupid, nor was he or anyone else in my family deaf. The two boys weren't exactly being quiet about it, either.

"Fuckin' fruitcake," Ronnie muttered, but everyone turned on him at one time.

"Ronnie!" Tara gasped, her face reddening in embarrassment.

"Ronnie, if you can't behave, I will call your mother to come pick you up." Mrs. Delap's voice was cold, filled with a tone that said her patience with him had long ago faded away.

But it was Jasper, Emmett, and myself that Ronnie's worried gaze fell to because we'd taken three steps toward the boy before Carlisle had intervened.

_Edward,_ _don't,_ Carlisle warned, but he placed his hand on Emmett's chest.

"Yo, dude. Not cool," Emmett said, trying his best to keep the growl out of his voice. "Talk like that will get you severely injured, my friend."

Kevin, who'd remained pretty quiet, smiled evilly and tilted his head. He chuckled and then spoke softly. "Homophobic, are we?" he asked, and Ronnie looked a mix between shameful at having been caught and belligerent. "Don't flatter yourself, sweet cheeks," Kevin scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You aren't all _that_ to look at. That underwear-showing, ratty old T-shirt, neo-Nazi hair thing you have going on is _so_ played out, honey. You really aren't my type."

"Oh, hell," Bella murmured under her breath, but her hand slipped into mine and tugged lightly.

Alice giggled, but her mind showed Tara and her friends splitting off from us before the next ride. I gave her a side glance, and she nodded fervently.

Ronnie was pissed at the fact that a few chuckles were aimed his way. He took a step forward, but Emmett stopped him.

"I wouldn't," he simply said, raising an eyebrow at him. "I'd really hate to embarrass you in front of your girl and all."

Ronnie sniffed, biting his tongue around the adults. Had Tara's mother and our parents not been there, he would have considered testing that warning from Emmett. But his thoughts betrayed him because, despite the bravado he was showing and trying to muster mentally, he was frightened of us.

My brothers and I didn't move, but Tara did.

"Ronnie, let's go," she huffed, giving us an apologetic glance. "Come on. I'm hungry..."

Dustin smacked his chest with the back of his hand. "Yeah, man...I want another dog."

Mrs. Delap huffed, shaking her head. "Ronnie, we'll be talking about this in the car," she warned him, but she handed her daughter a few twenty dollar bills. "Go. All of you, get out of my sight."

Jasper stood his ground, but Alice softly pushed at him to move along. Emmett was no better. But we all relaxed a little when the five teens had walked away.

Mrs. Delap turned to Esme. "My apologies," she sighed, shaking her head. "Tara's convinced she loves him. Otherwise, I'd forbid her from seeing him. They'd just sneak around behind my back."

Esme smiled, sweeping her eyes down the line of her children. "Believe me, I understand."

Bella smirked but tugged my hand again. "Come, Edward," she urged softly and sweetly. "Let's go play..."

Grinning at the fact that I could deny her nothing, I offered her my arm. "Yes, ma'am."

~oOo~

"Who are we waiting for?" Bella asked, sitting down next to me on the bench after playing a game of darts.

Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I dropped a heavy kiss to her temple. "Everyone. Carlisle and Esme are walking through the exhibits in the large building over there. The rest are playing games."

We were all meeting up in a little while so we could head over to the small stage to watch a few local bands.

"You're not playing?" she asked, biting her bottom lip.

Chuckling and reaching inside my coat, I pulled out a small stuffed lion. "I already did."

She giggled, twirling the lion's mane around her finger. "You know, a hundred years from now, I'll have a million of these and won't know where to store them."

"A hundred years from now, I'll buy you a warehouse just to keep them," I countered with a smug smile, kissing her smiling lips.

"Somehow, I don't think you're kidding," she muttered wryly. "But thank you, baby."

I laughed and nodded. "Anything for you, Bella."

"Speaking of..." she started, linking our fingers together. "When are we leaving?"

"Whenever you're ready," I said, shocked that she was asking, but her thoughts were shielded from me at the moment. "You don't want to stay for the music?"

Her face scrunched up adorably as she thought about it, but she shrugged one creamy shoulder, adjusting the wrap around them. "Maybe a few songs, but not the whole thing."

"You just tell me when, love," I told her, and she nodded, but we both looked up when a boy of about five or six ran our way. Unfortunately, he lost his footing and fell hard down onto his hands and knees right in front of us.

"Uh oh," Bella sang soothingly, getting up from the bench to help the little guy to his feet. "You okay?"

He nodded, brushing off his costume. He was wearing the stripes of a prisoner, something that made me smile. He had light brown hair and a spattering of freckles across his nose and cheeks. His hands were dirty from his fall and most likely from all the candy he'd consumed.

"Were you escaping jail, buddy?" Bella asked with a chuckle, and he grinned, his eyes widening at the sight of her.

"No, just my big sister," he told her, jerking a thumb behind him, but his thoughts were consumed with just how pretty the woman kneeling in front of him was.

I laughed, both at his thoughts and his answer, which caused him to look my way. At first, his fear kicked in, but like most children, his curiosity got the better of his judgment. He eyed me from head to toe, noting I was a "mafia guy." But his eyes landed on the toy gun in my lap that I'd had hanging off my shoulder all night.

"Is that a _real_ gun?" he asked in awe, and I grinned, picking up the toy and turning it over in my hands.

I'd forgotten the ease that a child's thoughts brought to my mind. They were filterless, in all reality. Everything they felt, thought, or decided all came pouring out of their mouths with a simple honesty. They were filled with hope and happiness. The simplest of things could bring them to laughter – or to tears. They were fragile and resilient, non-judgmental and curious.

They also didn't quite see through the facade of what we were trying to be, but they were overrun with a million other things in their minds, so they didn't have time, nor the inclination to be afraid of me – something I noted when the little guy stepped closer.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, but the gun was in my hand. "No, it's not real," I told him, smiling a little when large blue eyes gazed up at me. "Looks like it, though. Right?" I asked him, and he nodded. "I'd say you could have it, but we'd have to ask her." I pointed to Bella. "She's the one who bought it."

Bella giggled, rolling her eyes and shaking her head as she took her seat next to me again. "Edward... Don't tease him."

Huffing a short laugh, I looked back at the little guy. "Besides, what are you in prison for?"

"I'm not!" he countered in an explosion of giggles, holding his stomach. "I'm only in kindergarten! It's Halloween!"

He said this as if I had no clue, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"What's your name, prisoner?" I asked him, still laughing.

"Jeremy Thomas George Jr., but everyone calls me JT," he answered.

"Where's your sister, JT?" I asked him, and he pointed over by a concession stand selling funnel cake.

"Which one, sweetie?" Bella asked.

"She's in the orange shirt," he told her, and Bella got up to go get her.

The girl couldn't have been more than eighteen, but she looked exasperated as she walked with my Bella.

"JT, Mom's gonna kill me if I lose you, but some days..." she threatened him teasingly, and he merely smiled up at her. The love she had for the little guy was big – almost as if he were her own. "Thank you," she said to me and then glanced at Bella. "If he hadn't stopped for you, he'd be halfway across the fair by now."

Grinning, I looked back at JT. "Hey, pal, I got an deal for you." I held out the gun to him. "You can have this, but..." I held up a finger, and his hands stopped in mid-reach. "You _must_ stick by your sister. You can't go running off, okay?"

Maybe it was because I knew there were bigger, nastier monsters – human monsters – out there other than me. I'd seen them first hand, knew what wicked things of which they were capable. The close-knit small town wouldn't have mattered; JT could disappear as quickly as a puff of smoke when no one was looking.

"Okay," he whispered, gazing up at me with wide eyes.

"Promise?" I asked him.

"Promise," he vowed, nodding fervently.

"Then, it's yours," I said, finally handing over the toy weapon.

He immediately pulled the trigger, aiming at everyone and everything around him.

"JT! What do you say?" his sister chided.

"Oh!" he gasped, spinning to face Bella and me. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," the two of us chanted at the same time.

JT's sister mouthed her thanks and then walked back to the line that Bella had pulled her from. I felt Bella's eyes on me, her mind still closed.

"You miss working with them?"

"Sometimes," I answered truthfully, shrugging a shoulder and taking off my hat so that I could claw at my hair. "I don't miss losing one to disease or trauma. And I don't miss working with other doctors who can't take me seriously because I look too young."

Bella nodded and reached up to run her fingers through my hair. "It's sticking up everywhere..." she said, smiling when I set my hat on her head. "You miss their minds, though, don't you?"

"Yes," I said with a nod. "It's pure and freeing. I don't have to muddle through everything else to get to the heart of things."

She smiled again, looking absolutely adorable with my hat on. "I bet," she sighed softly, only to lean in and kiss me. "Some days, Edward... You make me love you all the more."

~oOo~

The shrieks of terror tore through the fair, causing my siblings, Bella, and me to burst into hysterics. It was so wrong, but so damn funny at the same time. Jasper's wry grin widened, but he did it again, sending wave upon wave of pure fear into the haunted house.

We were supposed to be meeting Carlisle and Esme over at the stage, but Emmett had begged Jasper to terrorize the haunted house, and since Adrian and Kevin had never seen him do it, we ended up stopping at the closest set of benches to watch.

"Oh, you know what would be even funnier?" Emmett asked, rubbing his hands together. "If Bells went in there...using that shield to slightly touch people. You know, tap them on the shoulder, touch a leg...that sort of shit."

We all groaned, because again...it was so wrong.

"They'll pee their pants, Em," Adrian said with a laugh, "but damn, that would be funny."

Another scream – this time, a man – and we collapsed into laughter again. Bella leaned into me, her thoughts open, and she was wondering why it amused us so.

"Because it's harmless," I whispered in her ear. "And because humans like the thrill of it. Jasper's not sending enough fear to stop their hearts, just enough to give them the rush their seeking."

Jasper grinned, shrugging a shoulder. "I could cause them to piss themselves, but..."

"Eeew!" the girls all sqeaked.

"Exactly." He chuckled, glancing over at the next set of humans walking in.

_Fuck, he's hot..._

_Maybe they should've kicked Ronnie's ass..._

_They all look..._together,_ though..._

"That's a..._close_ family," I heard not far from us, and my eyes found Tara and her friends waiting in line for the haunted house. However, the undertone in which Faith had said that did not go unnoticed.

And neither did their silly giggles, because Ronnie and Dustin stepped up in line behind them.

"You wanna stop staring at that fucking family, Tara?" he said, looming over his eye-rolling girlfriend. "Jesus, you'd think they were some movie stars or something..."

Tara sighed, giving Ronnie an impatient look. "I can look, you know."

"Yeah, well, it's not like you stand a chance with one of those pretty boys. Looks like they're all taken up, and they'd never give you a second glance," he sneered, smiling to himself that he kept Tara under his control.

"You need more than a second glance at some of them... That's a sweet ass on that one on the end," Lacey muttered with a grin.

When the girls all laughed again, Ronnie lost his temper, snatching Tara up by the arm in a move that was kept hidden from their friends. It was a practiced and seemingly habitual move. "Keep lookin', bitch... See what it gets you," he threatened her in a whisper.

Bella and Rose reacted immediately, stepping forward, but Emmett and I caught them.

"Don't you dare, sweet girl," I warned her in her ear, giving my brothers a side glance. "Let us handle it the right way. Hmm?" I hummed, grinning evilly when they both glared at me. "Trust me?"

"Yeah," they both answered slowly.

"Good. Jasper, Emmett, Kevin..." I started.

"And me," Bella sneered, watching how deflated Tara looked now.

"Actually, we're all going," Alice piped up wearing a small smile.

Grinning, I nodded at what she'd seen. "That's perfect. I think we need to take in the haunted house, don't you?"

The haunted house was one of the few exhibits of the fair that wasn't portable. It had been created in one of the buildings on the fair ground by the townspeople, so it was rather large. What was even better was that it would be easy to split up inside. And that's what Alice saw us doing.

We took our place in line a few people back from Ronnie. Once we were inside, hidden in the darkness, I gestured for everyone to split up, though I kept Bella with me. We were going to corral Ronnie, give him a little more than a few scarily dressed people and some black lights. Edging our way behind the scenes silently, I came up on his side, shaking my head as he tried to scoff his way through the maze.

"Now, beautiful," I whispered, grinning as I watched through her mind.

Her shield shot out, poking him in the center of his back, making him jump and spin around. When he didn't see anything, he immediately blamed his buddy, Dustin.

"Not funny, asshole," he growled, shoving him.

"I didn't do nothin'!" Dustin argued, giving Ronnie a foul look before surging on ahead.

"Perfect," I muttered with a smile. "Now, Kevin!" I ordered softly, knowing every last member of my family could hear me, but not the humans.

A white arm shot out of the darkness right around Ronnie's thigh. With a swift tug, Ronnie's jeans hit the floor, and the white arm disappeared. Bella giggled as the boy just about fell on his ass as he freaked out in the dark. By now, he was alone.

But the best was what Jasper and Emmett were planning. Jasper stood in the shadows, but Emmett was behind a black curtain. As soon as Ronnie was near him, Emmett wrapped up the boy in unrelenting strong arms, with the curtains between them.

Ronnie screamed like a girl, which made us all laugh, but Jasper hit him with the most fear yet. Pure terror. His heart rate shot out of control, and I murmured for my brother to tone it down just a little. With speed no human could catch, Alice and Rose ran past Ronnie over and over, poking him, shredding his T-shirt, and stealing his baseball cap when it fell to the floor.

"Enough," I said with a soft laugh, and Emmett let him go.

Ronnie ran the rest of the way through the haunted house, almost stumbling out onto the dirt when he finally made it to his friends.

"Let me," Emmett said, holding out his hand for Ronnie's hat.

Rose handed it over with a smug smile because we all knew what he was about to do. Walking out as a family and acting as if there wasn't much scary about the maze, we saw Ronnie brow-beating his friends and girlfriend.

"What the hell? Why aren't you all torn the fuck up?!" he shouted.

Before they could formulate an answer because they couldn't rectify how he'd gotten so messed up, we approached the group, Emmett taking the lead.

"This belong to you?" Emmett asked innocently, twirling the baseball cap around his finger, though his smile didn't reach his eyes. They were hard, dark, and lacking in his usual sense of humor. "The fuck happened to you?" he asked, eying the boy from head to toe.

"That fuckin' haunted house," was all Ronnie would say through gritted teeth, because he wasn't quite sure what he was facing at the moment with all of us standing in front of him, not to mention he didn't like that his own friends didn't seem concerned. They weren't even stepping up to face us with him because we were intimidating them just a little.

"Karma's a bitch like that, dude," Emmett stated like it was fact. When Ronnie reached for his hat, Emmett snatched it back. "Nah uh uh," he chided like he was speaking to a small child. "You _really_ should take better care of your..." His eyes swept beyond Ronnie to Tara, who was watching everything raptly. "Belongings," he finally finished. "You know, 'cause you wouldn't want to _lose_ them. Like I said, karma's a bitch like that."

He allowed Ronnie to reach for the hat again, only this time, Emmett caught the boy's arm in the exact same place Ronnie had gripped Tara.

"You know what I'm sayin'?" he asked, his voice laced with a threat as he squeezed Ronnie's upper arm to the point of pain. "If you take better care of your...possessions, then they won't...disappear on you. Got me?" Again, Emmett's eyes slipped to Tara and back.

Ronnie caught the movement, his own eyes narrowing as he was face to face with Emmett. He was still pretty damn scared from the haunted house, but Emmett was scaring him even more. All thoughts of taking on my brother flew out the window as he realized he was busted.

"Yeah, I got it," he mumbled.

"Good." Emmett grinned, all dimples and teeth, letting the boy go as he brushed him off dramatically. However, he still had a grip on the hat. "It's too nice for you...this..._hat_," he said, leaning on certain words. "One day...someone might steal it, you know. Someone who'll take better care of it."

Emmett slammed the hat into Ronnie's chest, but gripped his shoulder.

"Oh yeah, and I think you owe my brother an apology for bein' a shit earlier," he told him, pointing toward Kevin.

Emmett reveled in being a bully when times called for it. He was eating this whole situation up.

"Sorry," Ronnie muttered, looking like a beaten dog.

"No worries, Eminem," Kevin taunted. "I'm pretty sure you can't help it."

"Good boy," Emmett crooned, patting Ronnie's back way too hard and sending him stumbling into his friends. My brother brushed off his hands, grinning like a kid. "Guess that's that. We'd better go. Mom and Dad will be wondering where we are," he stated, reaching for Rose's hand. "See you around," he warned Ronnie before leading us all away.

"_That _was _awesome_!" Adrian gushed once we were far enough away. "If that's what school is like, we're so going the next time."

"It's not always," Bella said with a giggle. "But that did rock!"

Chuckling at her fist bump to Emmett, I wrapped an arm around her, guiding her toward the stage area where the music had already started.

~oOo~

**BELLA**

The music was good. A touch more country than we normally listened to, but still, the singer was good. Carlisle and Esme had saved us a place along the side – we practically took up a whole row to ourselves. We were in front of a metal barrier, and luckily, and there weren't that many humans around us. We were all coupled off, just enjoying the music and leaning into each other. Though, Edward was wrapped around me from behind, simply resting his chin on my shoulder.

I'd been enjoying the family. We were just being ourselves – well, as much of ourselves as we could be out in front of a bunch of humans – but I was almost ready to be alone with my husband. As such a private couple, it was something we craved occasionally. And tonight, I was craving it badly.

The band shifted around on the stage, the lead singer sitting down at a beautiful white piano and the guitarist taking a stool. Edward's arm tightened around me, only to turn me around when the music started to a slow ballad.

"Dance with me, my beautiful girl," he whispered, taking his hat off and setting it on my head like he'd done earlier in the evening.

"Okay," I said with a smile because there was just something about his sweet face whenever he asked that of me.

Running my fingers through his hair, I finally rested my arms around his neck, but my eyes snapped to his at the sound of the words to the song that was now playing.

_You know I'd fall apart without you  
I don't know how you do what you do  
'Cause everything that don't make sense about me,  
Makes sense with I'm with you.  
Like everything that's green, girl, I need you.  
But it's more than one and one makes two.  
Put aside the math and the logic of it.  
You gotta know you're wanted, too._

_'Cause I wanna wrap you up  
Wanna kiss your lips  
I wanna make you feel wanted  
And I wanna call you mine  
Wanna hold your hand forever  
Never let you forget it.  
Yeah, I wanna make you feel wanted._

"Edward," I barely breathed, pulling myself closer to him as he took that hat off and tossed it to the seat behind us.

A sweep of his lips over mine was a way of gently shushing me, to listen, to feel the words he wanted me to hear. I didn't know the song, but apparently, Edward did, and the lyrics seemed to fit us – fit Edward – so damn well. It was the perfect balm to soothe me after having talked about our past earlier in the day.

When his forehead met mine, his darkening eyes locked with my own, and he sang the next verse with a small smile on his face.

_Anyone can tell you you're pretty  
You get that all the time, I know you do.  
But your beauty's deeper than the makeup  
And I wanna show you what I see tonight._

_When I wrap you up  
When I kiss your lips  
I wanna make you feel wanted  
And I wanna call you mine  
Wanna hold your hand forever  
Never let you forget it.  
'Cause baby, I wanna make you feel wanted_

I wanted to kiss him stupid, and he let me briefly, until he decided to drag his softly singing lips across my cheek and down to my ear. The sweet words of the song were slowly killing me, but Edward's smooth, soulful voice was completely my undoing.

_As good as you make me feel  
I wanna make you feel better  
Better than your fairy tales  
Better than your best dreams  
You're more than everything I need  
You're all I ever wanted  
All I ever wanted_

When the song was over, the crowd cheering loudly around us, breaking me out of my Edward-induced bubble. Our eyes were locked, our breathing heavy, and the crackling spark of electricity that always surrounded us picked up in its intensity, causing a moan to escape the two of us.

"We... Edward, we need to go," I whispered, begging, pleading with him to get me out of there before I lost control over my need for him.

Edward swallowed thickly, his eyes squeezing closed briefly before his bit down harshly on his bottom lip. It seemed I wasn't the only one that was having trouble controlling myself. The words, the dance, it had all been too much, too close to the truth of things.

Inhaling slowly and letting it out, he finally nodded, keeping me close as he shot a look to Carlisle – not that our family was paying much attention to us. With carefully controlled hands, Edward adjusted my wrap around me, bent to pick up his hat, and set it on my head one more time before we left our family behind.

By the time we'd walked out of the small stadium-like seating area, through the fair grounds, and reached the car, there was no stopping us. Pressing me into the passenger side door, Edward was a looming tower of need and kisses and groping hands. And I wasn't much better off, practically climbing his long, lean body.

"God, Bella," he panted, placing his hands on either side of my head. "We really have to go...or I'm gonna take you right here. You have no idea what you do to me, what you _mean_ to me."

My brow furrowed as I gave his face the once-over, thinking my sweet Edward was having himself a moment, but he was shaking his head no as he heard the thought.

"No...no, I swear I'm not... I just..." He huffed frustratedly through his nose. "I need you alone, too, love. More than I realized."

I nodded, trailing my fingers over his face to help calm him. Otherwise, he wouldn't make it into the driver's seat. "Well, you said you were planning something..." I prompted him.

He smiled at that, locking gazes with me before kissing me senseless one more time. "I did. And I can't wait to show you."

It was absolutely painful to force him back and extricate myself from his embrace, but if I didn't, then we'd destroy the inside of the Volvo without shame and right there in that parking lot, no matter who or what was around us. I knew us well enough to know that much.

"Then show me, Edward," I said, opening my own door.

He closed the car door and took his time walking around to the driver's side. By the time he sat down, his eyes were a touch lighter and his face was little calmer. He shot me a soft, sweet smile before picking up my hand and kissing the back of it, his eyes raking over my whole body and back up to my eyes.

"You look amazing, by the way," he stated softly. "Had I seen you like this back then..." He grinned, shaking his head a little. "Well, perhaps my gentlemanly upbringing would've been shot to hell."

I giggled. "Drive, Edward. And leave the gentleman behind...okay?"

He laughed, cranking the car. "Yes, ma'am."

* * *

**A/N... First, let me explain how many times I went 'round and 'round with this chapter. I wanted so badly to bring you to Edward's surprise, but the family wasn't having it. I guess they wanted their night of fun. So there you have it. LOL**

**Second... THAT SONG! Christ Almighty, I just about wrecked my car when I heard it! It was so eerily close to Angelward that I had tears in my eyes. And now I've listened to it more times than I can count. So yeah, definitely an addition to the playlist:**

"**Wanted" by Hunter Hayes.**

**If you didn't pick up on it, then you should know we'll be spending a little alone time with Edward and Bella before heading home to start working with Archie. I'm not sure you'll complain, but I just wanted you to know that I hadn't forgotten about our little basement friend, and essentially, this is an E/B story first and foremost. ;)**

**I'm starting Chapter 16 today (which is really yesterday as you read this), and I don't foresee it being an issue for Sunday, so that means I'm pretty much on course to post again this week. I hope all of you have a safe and happy Halloween. Though, that whole "don't take candy from strangers" thing goes flying out the window, doesn't it? ;) Have fun. Until next time... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N... I hope everyone had a fun Halloween. But I'd really like to say that my heart is with those affected by Sandy. I'm in Florida, so yeah, I get it, but a hurricane is still scary, it still causes a shit-ton of damage, and it usually leaves a pretty ugly mark for awhile. It can be overcome, but it takes time. I hope that everyone is okay. I've talked to a few of you on FB and Twitter, but trust me, my thoughts are with those I haven't heard from, too.**

**This chapter comes with a few warnings... Obviously, this is Edward and Bella time at the beginning, so yeah... LEMON WARNING. For my PERV PACK firefighters...I gave you something you asked for because it totally fit! LOL ;) Enjoy. Oh! And no... "Time Warp" was an awesome idea, but there was no way to work it in! Sorry. ;)**

**As far as questions go...I don't really have any to answer. It seems you guys just simply enjoyed the family, a little tricks with the treating, and of course... Gangsterward. LOL**

**This is one of those chapters that snuck up on me. It was pieced together as I wrote it, but now it's become one of my faves in this fic so far. To me, it has a little of everything. ;)**

**Have fun. See me at the bottom...**

* * *

Chapter 16

**BELLA**

The radio was playing softly in the car as my gaze took in our surroundings. Edward was quiet, but I couldn't look his way for fear of crawling into his lap, despite the fact that he was driving. There was something comforting in the silence, something that didn't require work. And shielding my thoughts from him only helped, because I couldn't imagine the things he'd heard all night long.

Trees were everywhere, and it was so similar to Forks that my heart felt a little homesick for a split second. The snow we'd had a few days prior was almost melted, but small drifts of it were still here and there along the side of the road that seemed to be leading into the mountains.

"Um, Bella?" Edward said softly, and I turned to look at him. He looked nervous for some strange reason. "I sort of lied."

I raised an eyebrow at him, but he simply chuckled, his hand clawing at his hair.

"Well, I said no woods, but..." He pointed out the windshield as we drove deeper and deeper into the forest.

I snorted, smirking over at him. "And I said I didn't care. Besides, I'm sure it wasn't a _lie_, Edward. More of a spoke too soon thing?"

He grinned. "I suppose it was."

We drove through a gate for what looked like a ski resort. We bypassed the main office but followed the primary road. Taking what looked like the last right, we pulled up in front of a small but extremely well taken care of cabin. It was partially white-washed wood, partially stone, and utterly beautiful. And I could see it was bigger than what the little front porch made it look to be.

The lights were already on, and a stream of light gray smoke was billowing out of the chimney, which made me glance over at Edward.

"You were here already?" I asked him with a chuckle.

"No." He laughed softly. "Carlisle did this for me. For us. He checked us in and brought me the key, but it was the caretakers that started the fire. You like it." The last three words came out as a statement rather than a question, because I was damn sure my emotions were written all over my face.

"Yeah..." I nodded and giggled. "A lot."

"Good," he said with a happy smile, getting out and appearing at my door in the blink of an eye.

His eyes were only on me as he helped me out of the car. I wanted to tease him about leaving the gentleman behind, but there were just some things about my Edward that would never change. Opening doors was one of them. His brow furrowed a little as he gazed around, finally looking straight up out of the break in the trees. Every star was shining brightly, the cloud cover from earlier having completely gone away.

"It's quieter than I expected," he murmured softly, tilting his head a little and smiling. "There are a few cabins east and west of us, but most are empty."

"No snow," I whispered, completely mesmerized by the beauty of Edward's relaxed face. "Not yet anyway."

"You're quiet, too," he pointed out with a smirk.

"Just giving you a break, Edward," I said with a laugh, but I squealed when he suddenly scooped me up bridal-style into his arms.

"I never, _ever_ need a break from you, sweet girl," he practically growled as his darkening yet sincere eyes locked with mine. Once we were across the porch and into the cabin, he stopped, saying, "Of all the minds I've heard, yours is the one I _want_ to hear. Understand?"

Smiling, I cupped his face, only to lean in to kiss him briefly. "Yes, but you'd have wrecked the car with my thoughts on the way here."

He smiled and kissed my forehead, only to set me on my feet. "I packed us a few things for tomorrow," he said softly. "Go ahead and look around. I'll be right back."

Something about that sounded so much like our honeymoon night that I just about pressed him into the door to kiss him senseless. Once he stepped outside, I gave the main room a glance.

There was a small kitchen off to the right, but it was the cozy little living room area that made me smile. It was modern, but had a rustic warmth to it. Quilts and throws were draped over the small loveseat and chair that were situated in front of a stone fireplace. Walking down a small hallway, the only door led to a bedroom that made my breath catch. The bed was the centerpiece of the room, with thick round posters, an endless amount of pillows, and another quilt that seemed handmade. Against the far stone wall was a small dresser, a chair, and standing mirror. The bathroom was the most modern thing in the whole place, because it contained a sunken bath surrounded by natural stone, shiny fixtures, and another fireplace.

I smelled Edward before I heard him set the small bag down on the bed. Smiling, I leaned in the doorway, saying, "You really spoil me, did you know?"

He'd removed his jackets and loosened his tie, so he stood there looking like my young Edward again, instead of some hardened criminal. His white suspenders stood out against his black button down shirt, making me want to grab them in order to pull him to me.

He laughed, shrugging a shoulder. "There are worse goals I could set for myself other than to see that smile, Bella."

What he wasn't saying, and what Esme had explained to me time and time again, was that Edward had waited a very long time for me. He'd do anything I asked of him, even the smallest of requests. It was something I'd had issues with when we'd first met because it seemed excessive, but really, it was just Edward's way of showing his love. From picking a simple wildflower, to buying cars and homes, it was merely...him.

I smiled again. "A simple hotel room would've been okay..." His nose wrinkled a little, which caused me to laugh and point to him. "There's the snob I know and love."

"Boring," he scoffed, rolling his eyes at me.

He chuckled when I walked to him, forcing him to sit on the edge of the bed. Standing between his legs, I toyed with his suspenders at his shoulders, only to finally reach for his loose tie. I tugged it until the knot came undone, slipping it silently through his collar. I draped it over the footboard of the bed, gliding my hands back underneath the suspenders in order to push them over his broad shoulders at the same time he reached for his hat atop my head so he could drop it on the bedpost.

"I added to the playlist," he whispered, his hands splaying on my waist, but his eyes were focused on my mouth.

"I have present for you," I countered with a grin. "And I should go first..._because_ I know what happens when the music starts. I need your concentration for a moment," I told him, smirking when his sweet face scrunched up in confusion because I'd yet to open my mind to him.

"Should I be scared?" he asked.

"No," I snorted. "Never. However, this is one of those gifts you have to..._earn._"

To say watching Edward's eyes darken was sexy would be an understatement. Because along with the dark eyes came a quirky little smile, a lick to his lips, and a heavy swallow in his throat. It also came with my favorite: the raised eyebrow, which always went hand in hand with his curiosity. He knew exactly what I meant. A gift that Edward had to earn meant I had new lingerie on, but in order to see it, he had to tell me a story – something from his past, or something I didn't know about.

"There's not much left you haven't heard, my beautiful girl," he purred, his voice raspy and thick with want already. This was going to be a really fast story, I was afraid. "What could you possibly want to know?"

Avoiding his heated gaze – I wouldn't last long if I looked – I started unbuttoning his shirt. "Well, I was going to ask for something else, but you mentioned something in the car that intrigued me. What would you have done had we met back in this time?" I asked, gesturing to my dress.

"You're playing on my imagination, Bella?" he asked with a chuckle, shirking out of his shirt now that it was completely undone. "The reality of that question would not be so romantic, my sweet girl. I would've been a young vampire...deadly. You wouldn't have survived our first meeting, I'm afraid."

I knew all of that, really, so I waved his dark explanation away with a wave of my hand and a smirk. "I know that. You said that your gentlemanly upbringing would've been shot to hell. I want to know why. Say...we're both human. How?"

Grinning, he gazed up at me. "It would depend on how we met. Are we creating a fictional scenario, my little writer?"

"Maybe," I said with a grin, dragging the word out. "What would you have done, Edward?"

He nodded, fighting his ever-growing smile, but I could see that he was determined to play along. His brow furrowed a little, and his fingers toyed with the long tassels of my dress.

"You're dressed as a flapper, did you know?" he started, and I nodded because Alice had explained it to me. "So..." he huffed dramatically, causing me to giggle. "If we take our attire, then obviously, we're not exactly on the proper side of things. I, being in organized crime, meet you, who is obviously out for dancing... Which means," he said, leaning on the last word, "we had to have met in a speak-easy."

Falling in love with him just a touch more, I nodded, if only to encourage him to tell me more.

Smirking, he trailed the tips of his fingers along the side of my face to my chin, only to trace the edge of my dress along my chest. Had I been human, that simple, gentle touch would've given me goosebumps. As it was, I shivered a little.

After a moment, he inhaled, locking eyes with me. "Who knows what or who would've brought you into such an illegal establishment," he continued haughtily, smiling as I snickered softly, "but being as I would be untouchable as a member of the mafia, I would ask you to dance, no matter what. You're so beautiful that I wouldn't have been able to stop myself." His lips pursed a little, but his eyes sparkled. "You _should_ try to resist me, due to what I do for a living, but knowing you the way that I do, you probably wouldn't."

"How could I?" I gasped dramatically, placing a hand over my heart. "You're hardly resistible, baby. Knowing _you_ the way that _I_ do, you would've charmed your way in anyway."

He laughed, shaking his head a little. "Perhaps," he allowed, shrugging a shoulder. "I would've wanted every bit of your attention. Every dance. I would've claimed you in front of them all and dared them to touch you. And I wouldn't have wanted you drunk. I would've made sure the attention on me was sober attention."

"Of course. Mobster or not, you still have morals, I see."

"Absolutely," he said in a huff. "When it came time to leave, that's when I'd have difficulty letting you go. I would've protected you all night from every predator in the place, so I would insist on walking you home."

Taking his hand in mine, I positioned his fingers on the zipper of my dress, but I leaned in to kiss his lips. "Would you have kissed me at the door?" I whispered, locking gazes with heated and sweet.

"Yes. I would want to, anyway," he whispered back, his eyes betraying him as he slowly lowered the zipper.

"Would you have wanted me to ask you into my place?" I asked, smiling when a small rumbling growl vibrated around me. I wasn't even sure if he was aware that he was doing it.

"Do you live alone?"

"Does it matter?"

"No." He chuckled darkly. "Not if we're human, I suppose."

"We are," I confirmed for him as my dressed slipped silently down to the floor, pooling at my feet.

"Oh, God, then yes," Edward barely breathed, his eyes raking over every inch of me. "Damn, baby... I really, _really _like this..." he gushed as fingers trailed over white satin that was trimmed in black lace.

With an almost reverent touch, he followed the edge of my bra, only to do the same to the thong I was wearing. When he reached the small of my back, fingertips turned into flat, open hands, palming both bare cheeks.

Pulling me closer, squeezing, groping, touching, he gazed up at me. "Jesus, love... I...I really don't think it matters when or where we met. There's no way on this Earth that I'd be able to resist you. Fiction, non-fiction, human, immortal, in every fantasy I've ever had...it's always going to be you, my sweet girl."

Cupping either side of his face, I just kissed him. It had been building all night, but there was no way I could stop now. Placing a hand in the middle of my back, Edward turned us, setting me down into the middle of the bed and looming over me. Throughout, the kiss never broke.

Settling between my legs, Edward hadn't even attempted to remove the last of our clothes. With my hands flat, I reveled in every dip, rib, and muscle of his upper torso, pulling at him to come closer, but he was holding back. We smiled when my foot caught in one of his suspenders, almost snapping the damn thing apart.

Edward grinned down at me, his hands braced on either side of my head. His eyes never left my face, but my own were watching my hands glide up his arms, across his shoulders, and down his back. I couldn't get enough of his skin. And finally, the last question I'd been holding inside burst out of me.

"Do you think... Would you have fallen in love with me then, too?" I asked softly, not meeting his heated gaze.

"Instantly," he responded. "I can't imagine not loving you. Ever."

I nodded in acknowledgment but stayed quiet.

Bracing on one arm, he forced my gaze to his, where he studied my eyes. "Let me in, love. There's more than that question in there," he stated, his voice filled with concern as his brow furrowed while his fingers slid through my hair over and over.

Maybe it was the edgy feelings from our earlier conversation with Archie about our past. Maybe it was seeing Edward dressed like he might have dressed over a hundred years ago. Or maybe it was neither of those things and all of those things, and I was just lost in my love for him. But whatever it was, he saw it all once my mind opened.

He said nothing as he just...listened. His eyes were warm, sweet, but no less heated than they were before as he finally leaned down to place a long, slow, reverent kiss to my – _his_ – immortal scar just over my heart.

"Don't you dare move from this spot, Isabella," he whispered against that sensitive skin.

I narrowed my eyes at him at the use of my full name, but he merely smiled sexily at me before slipping from the bed. I didn't move, and he wasn't gone long. He returned quickly, having removed his socks and shoes, but it was the sound of a slow, soft, sensual song coming from the other room that caught my attention.

_I know there's something here  
There's more than meets the eye  
More strange more beautiful  
Than these words can describe_

Edward kicked out of his pants before joining me back on the bed, only this time, he was along my side, pulling me closer.

_Don't know how I got here  
The past has come and gone  
I just know I have found  
The place my heart belongs._

Touches turned into caresses, nuzzles to my neck turned into open-mouthed kisses, and whispers of beauty turned into proclamations of never-ending love.

_And I want to stay  
I feel safe here in your light  
This must be what heaven's like  
Must be angels in the room tonight_

The song had a slightly vulnerable tone to it for Edward, but it was just as beautiful as anything else he'd ever played for me. It was his way of telling me that he wouldn't change a thing, that the force behind our love was so very strong. We'd never stood a chance against it. Fighting it had been and always would be futile.

_All the mistakes I've made  
The wrong turns on this road  
Have only led me to your arms  
And all I know_

_I want to stay  
I feel safe in your light  
This must be what heaven's like  
Must be angels in the room tonight  
Oh can you feel it too  
Must be angels in the room tonight_

Small snapping sounds echoed out into the room, and my beautiful lingerie set was no more. Edward's apologetic gaze met mine, but I simply pulled him to me now that there were no barriers between us. Sweeping a thumb across one of my nipples, he smiled at the arched-back response he received from me, only to slip that hand down my side, to the place I was aching for him.

Dipping his fingers in at a teasing depth and pace, his forehead fell to mine. "When you come for me, love, I want it on me, around me. I want to feel every bit of it. Okay?" As I nodded weakly, he kissed me with heat and fire, love and need. "The only thing I want you to feel...is me," he stated, positioning himself at my entrance. Linking our fingers together and pressing them into the bed above my head, he crooned, "Give into it, sweet girl." He brushed his lips across mine. "Just...feel," he purred as he slipped slowly inside of me.

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

The fire beside us popped, crackled, and continued to flicker; it was the only light in the room as evening slowly ebbed into morning. I'd kept it burning all night, especially when we moved into the living room area of the cottage. I wasn't sure there was a better place to be on the whole planet. I was surrounded by pillows, blankets, soft rugs, and Bella, not to mention the warmth of the fire.

Her mind was calmer, sweeter, much less frantic than it had been the night before. I wasn't even sure she'd known what was wrong, but I had. I'd heard it in her final question, seen it in her mind when she finally opened up to me. My sweet, beautiful girl had needed simple reassurance. And I gave it...all of it – my touch, my voice, my soul, my body – anything to let her know that she had me, that I wasn't going anywhere, that my love was permanent and all-consuming.

The fingers of one hand trailed up and down her spine while the other twirled a lock of her hair. Her breathing matched my own, with deep inhales and slow exhales. It was as if we were sleeping – or at least, as close to it as we could ever get. She was draped over me, straddling me, her face burrowing deeper into my neck – a movement that made me smile and kiss her forehead.

"Any closer, love, and you'll have to crawl inside my skin," I teased her, giving her bottom a light pat.

She giggled softly, only to nuzzle in again. "Is that possible?"

Wrapping my arms all the way around her, I chuckled. "No, I'm afraid not."

"Damn," she whispered, giggling again, only this time, she shifted to brace herself over me, causing my never-quite-sated arousal to twitch between us and the blankets to fall away. Her eyes darkened at the feel of it, but she made no mention of it. Instead, she said, "Thank you for doing this," as she leaned down to kiss me, her hair falling around my face like a dark curtain.

She didn't need to thank me, but she always did. I didn't want it. It was simply a way for me to spoil her, give her something for which she so rarely asked. She never wanted for anything because she'd gotten used to buying the little things for herself. Money was never an issue. We occasionally splurged, but we gave back, too. No, what Bella usually wanted most was time alone. Just the two of us. It was a rare commodity while living with the family. And now that there were more of us, time alone was practically scarce.

Gliding my fingers up her back, I finally slid them into her hair on either side of her beautiful face. "I _know_ you miss having our own place, sweet girl. I'm not oblivious to that fact. I do, too, and I'll steal you away any time you want."

"But..." she started, her face filled with needless guilt.

"And I _know_ you love the family, too, baby," I said with a chuckle. "It's always been hard for you to reconcile that part of this life. Believe me, you're not the only family member that feels that way. We drive each other crazy, but then we feel selfish when we run away."

She grinned and nodded, biting down on that bottom lip. "You make us sound like spoiled teenagers."

"Aren't we?" I laughed, grunting when small fingers dug into my sides.

"No, I'm forever twenty. _You_ are the spoiled teenager, remember?"

Grinning as she sat up, her legs still straddling my stomach, I said, "Oh, yeah..."

My hands rested on her hips, but she picked up my left hand, only to turn my wedding band several times. Her smile, the spark in those deep brown eyes, and her light, playful laugh was a heady, sexy combination on her, because she sat atop of me like an ethereal being, perfectly bare for my eyes to drink in, for my hands to touch.

She looked sated, happy, yet she was slowly turning into wanton and needy. I could sense it, smell it hit the air like a tangy, earthy fruit. It was the change in her breathing, the greediness of her eyes as they raked over me, and it was in her mind, because she really liked how I looked beneath her.

I'd heard every crass thought women had ever thought about me, but coming from her, it wasn't crass; it was flattering. It made me want whatever it was that crawled through her mind. At that moment, I really wanted what she did.

"Tell me, Bella," I whispered, feeling my eyes go black as her hand snaked behind her to grasp my cock.

"I want you again," she stated softly, shifting off me, only to bend slowly where her hand was gripping. "Like this..." she barely said, before giving my cock a long, slow lick.

"Fuck," I growled through gritted teeth, my head falling back to the pile of pillows. I hadn't been expecting her sweet mouth to engulf me so quickly, but damn, if it didn't feel so good.

The scent of her arousal increased around me to the point of madness at the sound of that one word escaping me. I could barely concentrate enough as it was, but she was calling me like the siren she'd always been.

Grasping at her, I shifted her little body back to mine – only this time, I was inhaling her arousal from its gorgeous source. When her knees fell on either side of my head, her sweet pussy was spread right in front of my face, making me lick my lips, palm her ass, and growl low at the scent of myself covering every stunning inch of her.

"That feels so fucking good, baby," I told her, leaving nipping kisses along the back of her thighs and each cheek. Placing my palm flat against her sex and rubbing gently, my thumb brushed across her needy clit. "But I want to make you feel good, too," I told her, smiling when my touch caused her to purr around my cock. It twitched in her mouth.

Flattening my tongue against her, I dragged it heavily up, swirling around her other entrance. My breathing stopped momentarily when her own tongue swirled around the sensitive rim of my dick. She tasted like the two of us combined, which only caused a feeling of feral possessiveness to kick in.

Spreading her open, I kissed her sex like I'd kiss her mouth – long, sucking licks, claiming tongue at the source of her flavor, and just enough teeth to drive her crazy. We worked in rhythm, taking, giving, and savoring. It wasn't a race, but our movements became frenzied, trying to drive the other over the edge as soon as possible. I could see it in Bella's mind that she wanted me to fall apart, and she was damned close to making that a reality.

Gliding my hand up her back to push her, make her move faster, I worked her bundle of nerves with the tip of my tongue, knowing that she was just as close to falling with me.

She came first. Hard. And before she could pull back on my cock for one more suckling draw, I came down her throat with a harsh growl and a bite to her ass.

"Christ," I panted, feeling her scramble off me, only to straddle me again.

Just the feel of her wetness grinding against my dick caused my already-impressive recovery time to become nil. She rolled her hips again, gliding over me, which only caused my hands to grasp her hips to make her do it again.

"Again?" she asked, bracing herself on my chest to kiss me. We were a thick, delicious combination, tasting of each other, and it only made us seek friction all the more.

"God, yes," I growled low, grasping at her waist. "Just like this...I want to watch you fuck me."

The smirk my language caused was carnal, evil, and so damned sexy that I could barely look at her, but her voice made me snap my eyes to hers as she positioned herself over me.

"Oh, Edward...let him out... I need him," she practically crooned, her mind thinking we wouldn't get another chance to let loose any time soon. In her mind, Dirty Edward had just waltzed into the room wearing a deadly smile. "I _want_ him."

Grinning and biting down on my bottom lip, I eased her down over me. Once she was flush and I was as deep inside of her as I could go, I gave her what she wanted.

"That sweet pussy feels and looks so good riding my cock, love," I told her, linking our fingers together in order to give her better leverage. "Use me to make yourself feel so fucking good... That's it..."

I wasn't sure there was a more amazing and sensual sight as watching her take from me. Just simply take. Her body was fluid, rolling in graceful waves as she rose up and down over me. She was so wet, her insides tight and warm around me. Strong legs flexed against mine, the sounds of immortal flesh smacked together, and her own whimpers made me break my hands from hers. I grabbed her hips, helping her to a better rhythm, a faster pace, and a deeper thrust as I met her every time she came back down.

She fell forward, her lips meeting mine in a messy, awkward kiss, but I cupped her ass, squeezing as I thrust into her over and over. Dragging my lips to her neck, I gave her skin a swift, teasing bite.

"You're close again, baby. Come. Let go. I'm far from being done with you," I whispered in her ear. "You're way too wet for me to let it go to waste. We'll do this until you can't take another fucking second."

Smiling smugly against her throat, I felt her orgasm start to unravel. Her body arched, her head was thrown back, and the shivering began in her hands, continuing all the way down to her toes. I gripped the cheeks of her ass, slowing my movements down in order for her to calm down from her high.

"Oh, my sweet girl," I crooned along the skin beneath her chin as she stayed arched over me. "I could watch you do that every day for a century. It would never get old."

Her forehead fell to mine, her eyes closing as she just...felt. I was still moving slowly inside of her, but it was the feel of everything – my breath against her skin, my hands that were groping, gripping, and my cock that was filling her, making her feel whole. It was the ease of not having to worry about anyone hearing us, and the way that I could relax and say what I wanted, if only because it drove her crazy.

I sat up, keeping her wrapped around me, but I slid my fingers into her hair at the base of her neck, forcing her to look at me. "That's it, Bella...just feel... Do you see what you do to me? Can you feel it?"

She nodded fervently, silently begging me not to make her talk because she was nearing incoherency. Had she been my fragile little human, her brow and her hair would've been drenched in sweat – something I remembered used to make me feel like the king of the damn world because _I'd_ done that to her. Now, it was her inability to formulate words, her clutching hands at my shoulders, my arms, my hair, and her open mouth as she tried to breathe. It all made me feel very powerful and, at the same time, weak in the knees.

Arching her back with my hand holding her, I bent her body in order to kiss each breast, suckle each nipple, but before my lips met the scar that made her mine, my eyes drank in the sight of her. Her hips rolled over mine, her hands grasped at my shoulders, and her eyes closed as her mouth fell open.

"Look at me, baby," I commanded, and her eyes snapped to mine – onyx meeting onyx. "What is this?" I asked, my tongue snaking out to trace my own bite mark.

"Your scar, Edward..."

"Mmm, yes," I purred in praise. "What's it mean?"

"It... It's..."

I sucked hard on that scar, just like I had when she was human. Her scar had replaced a love bite that I couldn't help but keep forever.

"Come on, love. Tell me," I begged, arching her even more and pulling her to me over and over as her shoulders rested between my knees.

"That I'm...yours," she finally sputtered, her insides giving a heavy clench. She was close again.

"For how fucking long, Bella?" I asked, my thumb meeting her most sensitive bundle of nerves in order to push her over the edge one more time.

"Edward," she panted, her whole body shaking. Her legs squeezed my sides, her hands gripped my forearms, but her mouth couldn't form the word, so her mind screamed it for me. _Always!_

Her climax triggered my own; the clenching around me was just too much to push past. Pulling her hips flush to mine, I spilled deep within her, a string of curses leaving my mouth like a prayer.

Bending over her, my lips met her stomach, and I left a long, slow kiss just above her navel. "That's right, my sweet love... Mine, always."

~oOo~

"Be still, Edward," Bella said with a giggle, rolling her eyes. "Turn around. Now, bend your head back," she ordered sweetly so that she could rinse my hair.

Had we been human, we'd have been wrinkled and water-logged from being in the bath so long, but we simply were drawing out our last few hours alone. As soon as we were out and dressed, we'd need to leave. Neither of us were ready, but it was unavoidable.

Warm, clean water cascaded over my head from the detachable shower head. I leaned back against smooth, strong legs, bending my head back so far that I could see my girl upside down. She grinned, kissed my forehead, and continued to rinse my hair. When she was done, she pulled me back to her chest, wrapping arms and legs around me.

"Do you need to hunt before we go home, sweet girl?" I asked, playing with her toes and causing them to wriggle a little in my grasp.

"No," she said softly in my ear. "I thought I'd wait...maybe see what Carlisle wanted to do with Archie. What about you?"

"I'm okay," I sighed in contentment, laying my head back on her shoulder.

I was more than okay. I was practically "blissed out," as the girls would've said. I hadn't realized how long it had truly been since Bella and I had been alone. And not just a few hours when everyone left the house. Truly and utterly alone. While I was damn sure it would never be enough, it was just the right amount of time for us to reconnect, settle our hearts, and talk while no one could hear. We could solve the world's problems in the bath, I was sure of it.

Bella's mind was a calm, open book, though her thoughts were drifting toward Archie and his problems.

"This won't be easy, sweet girl. You know that, right?" I asked her, feeling her nod against my jaw. "He's extraordinarily damaged. He can't be..._fixed_ overnight."

"I know."

"If at any point, something bothers you, I want you to step away..." I sat up, turning around to face her.

Her eyes gazed up at me, wide and trusting, and she nodded. "I was planning on it. Plus, I figured Carlisle would take the lead with him." She wrinkled her nose a little. "Archie's going to want you there, Edward."

I nodded and sighed. "Yes, I know. I help him understand things better..."

She grinned. "A walking, talking..._really sexy_...encyclopedia. Nice."

I snorted. "The walking, talking part...yes. I sincerely doubt Archie sees me as sexy, though."

"That's a shame," she scoffed dramatically. "He should really pay attention. When he's finally faced all his fears, no girl will stand a chance with that baby face of his. Add in a few sexy lessons from you, and it'll be anarchy."

"I'm not giving...what? Sexy lessons, Bella," I said with a laugh. "Not ever. I don't even know what you're talking about."

Bella's laugh was contagious and so very damn happy. She squeaked when I pulled her to my lap, the water splashing just a little over the edge of the sunken tub.

"He'll have groupies, too!" she guffawed into my neck.

I shook my head and sighed, fighting my smile. "That's it. We're done. The water's gone to your brain. Or maybe it's the steam."

I stood up, keeping her in my arms as the water sloughed off of us. I utterly adored her like this – all silly, sweet, giggly, without a care in the world. She was the absolute antithesis of what this dark life could be. My whole existence, I'd hated what I was, but she embraced it, loved it, if only because she was surrounded by endless, unconditional love every day. It took meeting her, mating with her to show me I'd been wrong all along.

Unfortunately, we'd have to put a damper on it once we went home. I'd seen Carlisle's plan for Archie. It wasn't unlike what he'd done with Bella. It was talking through the past, working with his talent, and for Archie, learning to be what he was without feeling like a monster. It was absolutely imperative that he learn to hunt. Otherwise, he'd be stuck in that house forever. He'd never be free of it. It would be like taking a domesticated wild animal and setting it back into its natural environment after having been hand fed its whole life. He'd be useless, weak, and a target.

I set her feet down onto the fluffy bathmat, wrapping a towel around her and rolling my eyes at her still-giggling self.

"You think you're funny," I told her teasingly.

"No, I think you're sexy, and others could benefit," she said with a grin. But then she sighed, taking another towel from the stack in order to roughly dry my hair. "Perhaps you're right. You don't even _know_ how sexy you are, so how are you to teach anyone?"

"Bella..." I laughed, shaking my head at her once she pulled the towel away. "Enough about my sexiness level."

"It's pretty high, Edward," she countered seriously. "Like in the red..."

"I'm glad you think so," I chortled, scooping her back up into my arms and depositing her on the bed. Looming over her, I growled, "We have to go."

As if to prove my point, both our phones went off at the same time. I didn't even have to look. I was damn certain it was Alice. Bella's face scrunched up adorably, and she groaned.

"I know," I told her, kissing her lips. "Me, too, love."

If I thought I'd get away with it, I'd have considered keeping us locked away for one more day, which only caused my phone to go off again, only Alice wasn't texting this time...she was calling. It wasn't feasible, nor would Bella have allowed it. We'd promised Archie we'd be there for him.

Bella studied my face, and I watched as the silliness faded a little. "What did you just decide?"

I grinned, but shrugged a shoulder. "I thought about keeping you here...happy..."

She was shaking her head before I even finished. "Edward, I'm always happy with you. But we promised."

"I know... I know all of that," I said with a small smile. "It was an errant thought that apparently, my sister took too seriously." I grunted, giving my still-ringing phone a scathing look. It stopped ringing.

Bella grinned. "Strange-ass talents," she murmured teasingly, but sat up. "Come on, baby. We're going."

~oOo~

**BELLA**

"Trust me, you want Edward and Bella out of the house in times like last night," Emmett guffawed.

I rolled my eyes up to Edward once we made it to the front door. He simply huffed a laugh through his nose and shook his head. Though, the prideful, smug smile that graced his gorgeous face made me laugh.

"Hypocrite," we muttered together, smiling at the laughter that came wafting out the door when we opened it.

We found everyone hanging out in the library, except for the parents. They were all sitting around the room, but it was Archie my eyes fell to. He was planted on the sofa with Emmett next to him in front of what looked like Jasper's laptop. His confused face broke away from whatever he was reading to look at us.

"They driving you crazy, Archie?" I asked, ducking a thrown book and several insults tossed my way.

"No," he said slowly with a small smile.

"Of course not," Emmett scoffed, rolling his eyes. "We're teaching him."

Edward chuckled, so he must have seen what they'd been going over. "No one expects you to know...or even care...about fashion from the last hundred years, Archie."

"Oh, hell no," I groaned, glaring at my sisters and Kevin. "You didn't force him through Vogue 101, did you?" When Alice simply shrugged innocently, I snorted and shook my head. "Unbelievable...of all the things... You know there are presidents, wars, and other stuff you could've gone over..."

"We did, baby girl," Jasper said with a chuckle. "Alice simply wanted him to see what had changed in...looks."

"No, you just couldn't stop her," I countered, pointing a finger his way.

"Well, there's that, too," he muttered, looking back down at the guitar in his hands.

"Aw, hell," Emmett started, standing up from the sofa. "YouTube has been ever-so-helpful. Not to mention National Geographic... A few quick videos, and he's all caught up."

Edward sighed, fighting his smile. "Where are Carlisle and Esme?"

"They'll be back," Kevin piped up from his spot on the loveseat next to Adrian, who was slowly flipping through a magazine.

"Yeah, they came home last night, but we stayed out," Rose explained. "Once we all came in, they left to head to Portland to grab more blood for Archie."

Archie's brow wrinkled, but he nodded. "Just in case," he simply said.

Edward tilted his head a little as he listened to Archie's thoughts. My husband straddled his piano bench, pulling me down to sit between his legs.

"It's not...setting yourself up for failure," he said to him. "It's taking precautions. And no one here expects you to not have setbacks."

"Bella did," Jasper added, shrugging a shoulder. It wasn't accusatory, just simply fact, and I nodded in agreement. "And she was a newborn when she was dealing with some hefty stuff. You're more in control than you give yourself credit, man."

"That's very true," Edward said slowly, patting my leg.

"So what's next?" I asked with a grin, and Archie looked wide-eyed up at Emmett and then Edward.

"We were gonna do books," Adrian said, holding up his magazine.

"Well, we were leaving literature for you," Rose stated. "Plus, we've ordered him an e-reader. Should be here by Monday."

"Oh, okay," I said, surprised. "I'll have to make a list for you, Archie. We'll go over it later."

My mind swirled around a hundred years of reading material, trying to find a starting point for poor Archie. There were too many to even consider. There were definitely books that everyone should read, and then there were my favorites, not to mention things that he might be interested in on his own. He might even have books he'd read as a human and would want to read again now that his mind could absorb so much more. Thousands of titles piled up in a list.

"Easy, love." Edward chuckled, kissing the back of my head. "I felt like I just ran through Amazon dot com."

My siblings laughed, but I simply grinned and shrugged, leaning into Edward's strong hug from behind.

Emmett sat back down next to Archie. "And we were waiting on Ed here to even attempt discussing music."

Edward was quiet, and I turned to look at him. His brow furrowed, and his finger rubbed his bottom lip slowly. His eyes flickered from Jasper, to Emmett, and then finally to Archie.

"That's a lot to take in," he mused softly.

"If Bells's mind looks like Amazon, then Heavy E's has _got _to look like iTunes," Kevin snarked, shooting us a wink.

Edward laughed with the rest of us, but it was probably true. My iPod alone was filled to the max with hundreds of songs – mostly his doing. Edward's? _Thousands_. There were a lot he'd downloaded from online, but most had been ripped from CDs he'd bought throughout the last several years. It was various decades, every genre, and albums that could no longer be found, not to mention his collection of classical. That alone was overwhelming.

My handsome thing stared down at me in thought, saying, "We should start there, actually. The evolution of _how_ we listen to music is important. The history of music through the decades will take...time." He glanced up at Emmett. "What have you shown him technology-wise?"

"A lot. Not everything," Emmett responded seriously. "I mean, he's not ready for _Call of Duty_ online, if that's what you're asking. But since we had to show him videos, we started with computers." He tapped the top of the laptop on the coffee table. "He picked it up really well, because PBS had this whole series..."

Edward nodded, took a deep breath, and gently turned my wedding ring. He turned to Archie. "No...no video. I don't think we'll need it. Everyone here knows this stuff..." He dropped a heavy kiss to my temple before standing up.

He walked over to the family stereo, the most complicated thing in the house. It had the capability to play just about any form of music out there, and the speakers were insane. They were placed high on each end of the bookcase.

"You'll remember phonograph records the most, I think," Edward started, giving Archie a quick glance before running a finger down a very, very large collection of albums. "These are very similar," he went on, pulling out a brightly colored LP. "In the 1950s, they changed the material they made them with to vinyl. They were more flexible, not so easily broken or scratched, and people still collect them to this day. In fact, this whole collection belongs to Carlisle," he stated, gesturing to the bookshelves.

"There is something nostalgic about the sound," Rose stated, wearing a small smile up at her brother as he set the needle on the record.

"And that's why people still keep them," Jasper added. "It's the pops and the crackles, the artwork on the covers, and the value of them that continues to rise as time goes on. Music artists of today will never know how...perfect those were."

My Edward smiled, allowing the sound to filter through the room. He'd picked something easy, something classical, just to give Archie an example.

"These were the way everyone listened to music for the longest time," he told Archie. "In fact, it didn't change, really, until the 70s. Oh, they came in different sizes, because you could get a whole album or just a single song, but essentially, they were the same. Okay? With me so far?"

Archie nodded. "Yes. So what changed?"

"Ugh... Eight-tracks!" Jasper and Edward groaned at the same time, both wearing adorable looks of disgust.

The girls and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't hate the eight-track!" Emmett guffawed, disappearing from the room and returning just as quickly with two square items in his hands. He tossed them at Edward, who caught them deftly. "They were the coolest at the time!"

Edward grinned holding them up. "John Denver and Abba..." He barked a laugh, but it was drowned out by Alice and Rose belting out "Dancing Queen." He gave his brother a withering glance. "Seriously, where did you—"

"They were only fifty cents at this little retro store I saw last night. I thought we could show Archie." Emmett grinned, all proud and smug.

"You paid too much," Edward muttered, chuckling and shooting a wink my way at my giggle.

I pulled my knees up to my chin, wrapping my arms around my legs. It was too fun to watch them. Their history was long and intertwined together, and the sibling feel to the room was undeniable. I could listen to them talk about anything and everything they'd witnessed without ever growing tired of it.

"Are they that bad?" Archie asked, clearly amused at us all.

"Not bad, no," Edward told him, carefully removing the needle from the record and replacing it back into its sleeve. Once it was on the shelf, he snorted, rolled his eyes, and popped the eight-track into the player. "It had its positives. Emmett's right; they were advanced for the time because you could essentially search for a song."

He punched a button or two, and the song that Alice and Rose had been singing came to life in perfect stereo. I laughed when Kevin pulled a reluctant Adrian up from the loveseat to dance. Alice and Rose followed suit. There were dramatic dips and twirls, but when Emmett did his best John Travolta impression with fingers pointing and hips swaying, Edward stopped the music. I hid my smile when several groans hit the air.

"Next," Edward said forcefully, giving his complaining siblings a side glance. "The cassette." He rummaged around in one of Esme's decorative boxes, pulling out a small rectangle. "The ability to record on magnetic tape had been around for decades, but it didn't really start being mass produced until the late 70s or early 80s. What was interesting, or at least convenient, was that you could buy blank tapes and record anything you wanted, even off the radio."

Watching my Edward teach was fascinating. He was calm, easy to listen to, and certainly knowledgeable about the subject. I could well imagine he'd had to have the latest thing out whenever feasible. He shot me a grin.

"Yes, most of the time," he said to me, but he turned back to Archie, who was listening with rapt attention. "These," Edward continued, shaking the small tape in his hand. "These would stay fairly popular until the late 1980s or early 1990s. They work similarly to the eight-track – their only downfall being that occasionally the player would eat the small ribbon of tape."

"No kidding," Alice huffed, folding her arms across her chest. "I don't know how many times I'd have to have Edward come pull one out of my stereo and then rewind it back in using a pencil."

"Plenty," Edward told her with a grin, tossing the cassette back into the box.

Emmett stood up and grabbed a CD case off the end table. "If anything looks like the future, buddy, it's these," he told him, taking out the mirror-like circle.

Archie took it gently and smiled, turning it so that the light in the room could catch the rainbows on the bottom of the disc. Edward walked over and asked for it, and Archie gave it to him.

"With CDs – or compact disc – came a new era in music," Edward explained, walking over to insert the CD into player. "As computer technology improved, so did music. These are played by using a laser; it's precise, no flaws. It took away the tape-eating situation, erased the pops of records, leaving only perfect sound. They could still be scratched or broken, but the clarity was unlike anything I'd ever heard...even live."

Archie's eyebrows shot up at that statement. But the music Edward was playing spoke for itself. Again, it was classical, something that had a large build up to it. The window panes rattled with the bass, the stringed instruments sounded sad and heartbroken, and the brass was almost ear-piercing.

Edward again stopped the music, pulling the disc back out. He walked over to Archie and sat beside him, turning the disc in the light.

"On these are every song on that album. And every song is a computer file. Okay?" Edward asked.

"Like pictures," Archie verified, and Edward nodded.

"Right, like each photograph is a file. Exactly," Edward praised. "Each song file is called an MP3. And while CDs are still produced now, the most popular form are just simply those files...those MP3s. They are quicker to acquire, easier to store, and once again, flawless in quality. They are easily removed from this," he said, holding up the CD, "to this." He tapped the computer. "You don't have to leave home to get the newest album; you can instantly download it. Environmentally, it's better. No plastics that can't biodegrade, but at this point, it's whatever the consumer prefers."

"So..." Archie started, and despite the fact that Edward could hear his question, my husband let him ask it aloud. "What Bella put in my room...that thing plays just those...files?"

"Yes," we all answered him.

He grinned, and for the first time, he looked proud of himself. Edward chuckled, giving his shoulder a squeeze. It was a gesture not unlike what Carlisle would've done.

We all glanced up when the front doors opened, and we heard Carlisle deposit the blood into the fridge before joining us. He leaned against the piano as Esme sat down beside me, giving me sweet kiss to the side of my head.

"How's it going?" she asked me.

"Poor Archie is on history overload," I teased, giving Carlisle a grin. "However, I'm sure by now, he knows why leisure suits are bad, why polyester is from the devil, and how Prada should have it's own church."

Carlisle laughed, looking over to my sisters. "You didn't..."

"What?!" Alice squawked, holding up her hands. "Seriously. He'll need to know how to dress!"

Archie snorted but said nothing as he shook his head.

"Why? You dress us all, Alice," I argued.

She pursed her lips and shrugged. "He should know why..."

"Believe me, a powder blue polyester suit screams why," Kevin told her.

"Actually," Edward urged, looking up at Carlisle, "they've shown him a great deal. He's getting the benefit of several sources."

"Including Edward. We just went through Music 101, and Music 102 will be saved for later," Jasper taunted with a grin.

"I'm going to tell you this again, Archie. If they drive you nuts, tell them," Esme said. "They'll hardly be offended."

I chuckled. "Yeah... Fortunately, we know we're obnoxious."

Edward grinned and stood up from the sofa to allow Carlisle to take his place next to Archie.

"No, no... I appreciate everything, really," Archie said politely, but he looked like he was preparing for whatever Carlisle was about to suggest. He locked gazes warily. "You... You want me to try going outside again, don't you?"

"I want you to do what you're ready to do, son," Carlisle countered gently. "We can approach it however you'd like."

Archie's brow furrowed as he nodded and swallowed nervously, but his eyes shot to me. "Will you?"

I smiled. "Absolutely." I stood up from the piano bench and walked to him, offering him my hand. "We'll all help, you know," I told him.

Archie nodded silently, taking my hand and standing up. We walked down the stairs, through his room, only to come out through the hidden stone wall door. Most of the family stayed behind, but Jasper and Emmett trotted out into the backyard through the kitchen, and Edward and Carlisle were behind us. I pushed open the cellar doors, letting in the dreary afternoon light. He froze at the top of the steps, the dirt of the backyard mere inches away.

A shiver wracked his frame, and his face was filled with fear. I looked to Carlisle and minutely shook my head.

"Son, close your eyes," Carlisle instructed, and Archie did what he was told. "Now, tell me what you see, what you're scared of."

Carlisle shot Edward a silent look, but my husband only nodded.

"No, Archie," Edward said softly, gently. "Carlisle would like to hear it from you. Just say that out loud."

"Bad things..." Archie barely whispered. "Bad things happen out there."

"That's very true," Carlisle agreed, causing Archie's eyes to snap open. "But good things do, too. You need to remember that you're ever so much stronger than you were the last time you set foot out of this house, Archie. You're not human. You're not fragile. And there's not much that can harm you."

Edward's gaze shot to Jasper. "No. If you hit him with determination, it'll only go away too quickly once Bella has her shield on him." He grinned. "Fine. Just a boost."

Archie visibly relaxed with the help of my brother.

"Better, man?" Jasper asked.

"Yes, actually." Archie nodded, turning to me. "What were most scared of?"

"Losing Edward, losing my family," I answered immediately and honestly. "That was when I was human, and a lot of things carried over into my change. My talent was hard to get under control, though it helped with my bloodlust. I was upset that I was losing my human friends and my parents."

He nodded that he'd heard me, but he studied the ground just in front of his feet. His breathing was heavy, but his hand stayed in mine.

I glanced up to Edward, whose face was stoic as I mentally asked if Archie was okay. He gave a slight wince but nodded encouragingly at Carlisle and me.

Carlisle placed a hand on Archie's shoulder. "The best revenge against Victoria," he started, which truly got Archie's attention. "You need to prove she didn't beat you. If only to yourself, son."

Archie blew out a rough breath and nodded.

"One step...sixty seconds. Just..._try_," Edward urged from behind. "There's no one alive now that could hurt you. Victoria's gone...and your father has no power over you anymore. All his rules are null and void."

I nodded, agreeing with him, because he'd said the same thing to me about Jake once, even when I was human. Edward took away the power that I'd given to Jake for two years, replacing it with the strongest shield of love and protection I'd ever felt. And I still felt it...every day.

Edward's eyes softened, and he mouthed, "Love you."

Grinning, I turned to Archie. "With my shield. With me. What do you say?"

Archie nodded, and before he could change his mind, I wrapped my shield gently around him.

"Feel it?" I asked, and he nodded. "Good. Now, watch. Carlisle, touch us."

"Can't, little one," he said with a chuckle, poking at my shield.

"Now you're safe. Step with me," I told Archie, tugging his hand.

It was going to be a long, full minute. The very second Archie's foot crossed the threshold of the cellar doors, he began to shake. His breathing picked up, and he squeezed his eyes closed.

"Open your eyes, buddy," Emmett called encouragingly from the yard. "Nothin' can get you, man. Look."

Archie cracked open one eye, and I smiled, but he shook his head profusely. "I can't, I can't..."

"You can. Thirty seconds, son," Carlisle urged. "You're halfway there."

"I can't...I'll mess up," he whispered to me, his big, deep red eyes pleading. "Please, Bella, let me go," he begged, struggling against my shield and pulling on my hand. "Please, Bella..."

It was heartbreaking to watch, really, but I put a hand on his shoulder. "There is no messing up, sweetie. You're almost there. The only person you'll disappoint is yourself. Forget everything that anyone ever told you, okay?"

He nodded, his hands gripping the sleeves of my shirt. "Please..." he simply whispered.

I sighed, giving Carlisle a glance, and he tapped his watch. Looking back to Archie, I squeezed his hand to get his attention. "Look at me." His frightened gaze snapped to mine. "You did this. You're way past a minute. I want you to acknowledge that before I let you out from my shield."

He swallowed thickly and nodded. "Okay... Please?!"

"Archie," Carlisle called, and his head spun to look at him. "You did amazingly well. We're all very proud of you."

I could see that the nervous boy in front of me had no idea how to take that, so I let him go. He was inside, down the stairs, and into his room before I'd taken my next breath.

Carlisle sighed, shaking his head, but his face was filled with sadness. "Well, that was...unexpected."

Edward shot a glance inside the house before stepping closer. "He's...only angry at himself; though, right now, he blames his father for making him feel weak. He's been told way too many times what a grand disappointment he was, not only by his father, but by Victoria, as well."

Jasper and Emmett joined us at the door, their faces crestfallen.

"It was a good attempt," Carlisle told us all. "We'll try again later. Positive reinforcement may be the key with him. But for now, let's give him some space."

Edward reached for my hand, and we all filed back down into the cellar. Jasper shut the door behind us. Just as we turned around, we watched the stone doorway slam shut.

"Okay, honey..." Kevin drawled from the other side, and Edward chuckled before Kev finally finished with, "Let's talk about _dads_, shall we?"

* * *

**A/N... Sigh... Archie's got it rough. He's got the absolute best support system on the planet, but some things aren't easy. Learning a hundred years of history is one thing. Facing your biggest fear is another...especially when you've been told all the wrong things from the beginning.**

**And I'm not sure which I liked more...Teacher Edward...all about the music (and yeah, that whole lesson is all nerdy me) OR the slight little role playing Edward and Bella did at the beginning. Gangsterward is damn sexy. Period. ;) Yeah, can't decide.**

**Music... I'd like to thank TayloWendy for "Angels in the Room." Amazingly sensual song. Seriously. I couldn't see using it any other way. So the additions to the playlist this week are:**

"**Angels in the Room" by Delta Goodrem**

"**Dancing Queen" by Abba (and this is really for shits and giggles on my part. LOL Love that song!)**

**However, I'm still playing "Wanted" obsessively. I'm driving myself crazy. O_o It's a good thing I wear earbuds at home and no one rides into work with me...otherwise, someone would've smacked me already. Just sayin'.**

**Let's see... I think that's it. I'll be starting 17 today (yesterday when you read this), so I'm hoping to be ready for Wednesday. I'm gonna do my damnedest, just FYI. Anyway...let me know what you think. Until next time... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N... So now, apparently, some of you have some sort of Teacherward fantasy about Edward after his music lesson. LOL That's awesome! ;D Note to self... Bwahahaha!**

**I want to answer a question that was posed. How long will this story be? I'd mentioned at the beginning that this wouldn't be as long as the other three. It won't be. I'm looking at roughly 25 chapters...give or take one or two. I say that now, though, and I could go over. It tends to happen with this series. ;)**

**Just FYI... I manipulated a few old legends to suit my needs in Archie's next lesson. Just keep that in mind. Some of them exist, and some of them don't. You'll understand when you get there.**

**You guys are so great for pulling for Archie. I think this chapter is what you've been waiting for... But first, Kevin has his say...**

* * *

Chapter 17

**EDWARD**

"Let's talk about _dads_, shall we?"

The whole house came to a standstill once we realized Kevin had locked himself in Archie's room. I'd seen his mind, seen how he'd hated hearing Archie let something as insignificant as poor parenting wreck him. Kevin, at his heart, was aching for Archie. My newest brother, despite the haughty front he put on, completely understood what it was like to fear a father that had no idea who his son truly was – and wouldn't accept him even if he did.

"Oh hell," Jasper murmured, and we all looked to Carlisle, who couldn't decide whether to be amused or concerned.

_Edward, it'll be fine_, Alice thought to me in a rush. _Kevin will give Archie something to think about..._

"Alice says it will be okay," I told them all.

Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper nodded in acceptance, but Bella simply stared toward the closed hidden stone doorway. Having Archie practically beg her had made my girl sad for him, but she was so very proud that he'd even tried. She and Carlisle were thinking along the same lines on that note. To be honest, I never thought he'd step out the door, so what he had accomplished was nothing short of phenomenal.

"I promise it'll be okay," I whispered against her temple, which earned me a silent nod in response.

My father and brothers ascended the kitchen stairs and left Bella and me behind. Opting to stay close by, I pulled my worried girl down onto the cellar steps, keeping her on the step below mine so that I could wrap my arms around her. She merely wanted to be near should either Kevin or Archie need someone to intervene. The problem was...Kevin _never_ talked about his human family. He made the occasional snide remark, but not one of us truly knew how he'd been treated before we met him. I didn't even know most of it because Kevin guarded that part of himself very closely.

"I get this whole...respect your elders, respect your parents thing that you have going on, Arch," Kevin started, sitting down on the steps of Archie's room that led up to the library.

Archie was in the position we usually found him in when he was upset, only instead of being wrapped around himself on the floor, he was on his full-size bed.

"I mean, Heavy E...erm...Edward explained that shit to me..." Kevin sputtered, and I smirked at his thoughts. He was damn sure that Archie wouldn't understand the origin of that nickname, and I had to agree. "You guys come from a time when you didn't have a choice but to obey your parents, but let me tell you something... Father doesn't always know best. You know?"

From Kevin's viewpoint, Archie hadn't moved, so with a deep sigh, he went on. "Times are different. The child has a voice nowadays. There are places to call, people to report to, and it's okay to be a little...different. You can be you without having to put up with abuse."

Kevin huffed a humorless laugh through his nose, shaking his head slowly. "My mom... She died when I was really young. I had my older sister, but it's not the same. My dad was one of those blue-collar men who thought that his way was the right way. He was narrow-minded, unsympathetic, and downright mean. He believed that what the Bible said was true...that if you spare the rod, you spoil the child, that all homosexuals will burn in hell, and that I should look, act, and speak like him. When I didn't do those things, he'd get pissed."

Kevin went quiet for a moment, thinking he was wasting his time, but Archie was listening.

"He called me every name in the book – pansy, faggot, daffodil, and my favorite...pussyboy." Kevin sneered at the memory. "It got worse as I got older. I'd rather hang out with my sister and her friends than watch sports or fix cars. He lost his ever-lovin' mind once when they put makeup on me one sleepover. They never did it again, and I couldn't sit down without wincing for like four days."

Bella groaned softly, laying her head on my leg, and I ran my fingers slowly through her hair to settle her down. If she thought she hated Mr. Stark before, she really despised him now, despite the fact that the man was dead. But we stayed silent in the cellar.

Kevin took a deep breath before continuing. "As I got closer to college, my dad kept pushing for me to do something..._manly_ for a living. He didn't know that I performed on stage, that I wanted to continue in the theater, because my sister covered for me. He would've kicked me out had he known. I applied to every school that was as far away as I could get. I had the grades, my test scores were high, but I wanted to be as far away from him as possible, which really sucked because the best of the best theaters are in New York. I had no choice. In order to really..._live_, I needed to get away from the man that told me every day that I would die of AIDS – uhh...that's a long story, Arch. We'll have to tell you about that later. Anyway, he said that fags were drug addicts and fiends, that I'd never make anything of myself, and that he was ashamed to call me his son."

That last statement got Archie's attention, and his head snapped up to glare at Kevin, who smiled warmly at him.

"I see you've heard that, too, huh?" he asked.

"Yes." Archie whispered softly.

Kevin nodded in sympathy and understanding. "Yeah...if he only knew," he snorted, shaking his head. "I'm more of a fiend now than I ever was back then."

Archie smiled softly but sadly, I noted. "Didn't you want him to..."

"I _tried_, honey," Kevin urged, sitting forward. "I tried everything to get that man to understand me – movies, books, my friends. Hell, even his poker buddies told him it wasn't cool to out me in front of them. They even tried to convince him that I was born...different. Nothing worked."

"He's...gone?"

"Yep," Kevin said with a nod. "He died over a year ago. He was lucky he was already dying. The things he said to me in the hospital almost got him killed by an entire coven of vampires." Kevin grinned when chuckles resounded through the house. "See? And that's when I knew... I knew it was him...not me. I mean, my sister tried to cushion it all, but I always thought I was in the wrong, that what I was, how I felt was just...fucking wrong. The last thing I finally told him was that he truly missed out on knowing the real me. It was his fucking loss, not mine."

I smiled against the top of Bella's head when not even Esme tried to correct his language.

Kevin shrugged. "Your dad was an ass, Archie. He was mean and self-absorbed. He was also kinda sad that your mom died, but he had no right to take it out on you. Understand? You want a dad you can trust? One you can really fucking count on? You look to Dr. Feel...erm...Carlisle."

I wanted to laugh at his name adjustment, but Carlisle's mind was in utter shock. He also felt a little honored. And Bella cooed just a little at that because she agreed wholeheartedly. In fact, every mind in the house was in agreement.

"Just because William Varner was the sperm donor that brought you into this world, that doesn't mean he was ever worthy of your trust. And he damn sure didn't deserve your respect. He was wrong, Arch. You'd be surprised where you find real family...and it's usually not blood. Okay?"

Kevin stood up, brushing his jeans off. "Oh yeah, and one more thing. This fear you have of stepping outside... Dude, I swear to you that nothing on this fucking Earth will touch you. You've got ten of us really pulling for you. Yeah, sure, bad shit happens, but there's some really amazing stuff out there. Well, maybe not the fine city of Caribou, but still... There's some shit you really should take a peek at, you know what I'm sayin'?"

Archie blinked up at Kevin, all wide-eyed and almost amused at his sarcasm.

"You'll do this, you know. You'll try again, and eventually, you'll get it. Don't sweat this time. It's no big deal, and I certainly don't think any less of you. You know why?"

"Why?" Archie asked.

"Because you're puttin' in a hell of an effort." Kevin stated that as fact, and it wasn't to be argued with, per his tone. "If you were still invisible, scarin' the shit outta Heavy E with your ghost-like antics, still starving yourself, then I'd say no way, but nope. You're here... I can see you, talk to you, and tell you that you're doing fine. No lie."

I buried my chuckle into Bella's hair. I couldn't help it. Kevin had a no-nonsense way of putting things that Archie was absorbing better than I'd originally thought he would.

"I scared Edward?" Archie asked suddenly, and my laughter was cut short.

"Yeah, you didn't know?" Kevin asked, and Archie shook his head slowly.

My eyebrows shot up with that. It seemed Archie was unaware of some of the things he'd seen or done. It had to have been due to his thirst. It had been an extreme case, but I hadn't given it much thought until now. I thought he'd been aware of his actions when we first arrived.

I huffed a laugh to myself because that meant he hadn't witnessed – or at least, he didn't remember – some of the things that had occurred between me and Bella in the library. It also meant that every slip of his cloak, every stray thought I'd heard, and every bit of his fear had been against his will, and he'd barely been conscious of it. And that made perfect sense to me because I'd been fairly close to incoherency when I was apart from Bella, and she had the letter to prove it. Carlisle – in his very beginning – could hardly think. I just hadn't realized until now that Archie had been the same way.

Bella turned to gaze back at me, but I simply shook my head. I signaled silently for her to shield my thoughts – or my decisions, in this case – and she did. I simply kissed her. I'd tell her later because she'd be glad to know that Dirty Edward was still a safe secret.

"Later, beautiful," I barely breathed, chuckling once. "Promise."

"Sorry, Edward," Archie suddenly said, and I asked Bella to remove the shield so that I could hear him once more.

"No blood, no foul," I told him with a smile. "You weren't yourself."

"No, but you did cause Eddie to question his sanity there for a bit, buddy," Emmett boomed from somewhere upstairs, which caused all of them to laugh.

A warm, gentle hand caressed my face. Bella was fighting her smile, but she kissed me softly.

"Hey! What about me?!" Jasper called out. "You have any idea what that shit felt like?"

"Yes!" we all groaned because we'd all felt what Jasper had.

More laughter echoed through the house, but there was one extra: Archie. I smiled at his amusement. A true laugh was rare coming from him.

Bella grinned, looking up at me, and I kissed her forehead.

_Is he..._she started, but I cut her off with a kiss to her lips this time.

"He's fine," I told her. "But he still needs time."

She nodded in acceptance, sighing a little in relief.

Kevin heard me, so he turned to Archie one last time. "You let us know when you're ready to try again."

Bella stood up at the same time Kevin finally left Archie alone. She tugged me up from my seat on the stairs, wrapping her arms around me. Hugging her back, I kissed the top of her head, but I smiled when Archie's mind started sorting through his human life. Alice was right; Kevin had definitely given him something to think about.

~oOo~

"You know, I don't get it," Jasper said with a grimace as he glanced around. "I mean... How the hell do we go from Halloween immediately into Christmas? When did we start skipping Thanksgiving? It's only the first week of fucking November."

I grinned, sitting back on the bench in the middle of the mall. Cheesy decorations were already up, the tinkling sounds of carols were playing overhead, and the frenzied feel of shoppers' minds were all around me. Jasper's mind flickered through his past holidays, some human, which were interesting, and some with us. Occasionally, it had been all about presents, but mostly, it was about being with each other.

"I'd say it was because Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's make up for the entire holiday season, but...no." I chuckled when he gave me a sardonic look. "Really, it's all about the money. Look around you, Jazz. Stores started their sales already. The earlier they get shoppers inside this mall, the earlier the stores meet their end of the year quotas. It's simple."

He scoffed. "That's not what it should be about."

Laughing, my head fell back. "Do tell, oh wise one."

"I know, right? It sounds fucked up, considering what we are, for me to sit here and say it should be about family and love and all that bullshit, but... Jesus, Ed." He gestured around us. "All of that's lost somewhere. There's not even a blip of it on the radar."

"Jasper, we're sitting here with them," I countered, just to egg him on.

"Stop it." He laughed, shaking his head and sitting forward so that he could rest his elbows on knees. "We had to get out of the house. The girls needed it."

I nodded and sighed at the reality of that. It was just the four of us at the mall. Emmett and Rose had finally caved after Archie's meltdown a few days ago and headed south for a hunting trip, and they'd decided to take Adrian and Kevin with them.

Archie was still struggling. His mind changed a thousand times a minute, it seemed, debating whether to go outside again, which weighed on Alice more than she'd admit to anyone but me, and that was only in thought. His self-doubt and disappointment were heavy, causing Jasper to send lighter feelings his way almost on an hourly basis. But his long talks with Carlisle were the hardest on all of us – especially my Bella, because her shield pulled at her constantly to go to him. He was reliving the grief of the death of his mother, the shock of what he'd done to his father, and all that Victoria had put him through.

I had to give credit where credit was due. Archie was trying. He was talking. And he wasn't hiding. However, for those of us with extra senses or talents, we were carrying his burden with him, so Carlisle had offered us a break. It was why we were sitting in an extremely large mall in Bangor. We'd had to get away for the day.

"Yeah, that's true," I murmured, frowning a little.

"Alice sees him drinking from a deer," Jasper whispered because his thoughts were running along the same lines as my own.

"I know. We just can't tell when," I explained, glancing down the long hallway to the main entrance. Snow was falling softly outside, giving the world a gray, blurry look. "We saw snow...so maybe soon?" I grimaced and shrugged my shoulders.

"Maybe," he conceded, glancing up at me. "It all kind of rests on whether he can feed, right? I mean..."

I held my hand up. I could see where his mind was going. When he'd worked with Maria, he'd had to destroy newborns that couldn't fend for themselves. They had to be self-sufficient, strong, and controllable. If they couldn't be those things, or once they'd passed by an immortal year, Jasper had unfortunately had the job of destroying them. He really, _really_ didn't want to think about having to do that to Archie.

"Is that necessary? Really? He's survived this long," I countered, wincing at just what that would do to the family. They were all now completely and emotionally invested in Archie.

"Carlisle would say no. But damn, brother...how much longer until someone really sees him in that house, sees him for what he is? I know Demitri considered it. You can't tell me he didn't think it at least one time."

"He did," I said softly with a nod, looking down at my sneakers. "But he considers this Carlisle's call. Our house. Our family. He'd go with whatever decision the family came to, but yes, he did think it."

"Damn," he sighed. "Don't get me wrong. I really am pulling for the guy."

"We all are. Every last one of us." I gazed over at him, my nose wrinkling. I didn't have to say what it would do to the girls, to Carlisle and Esme if Archie didn't succeed. "Archie's more worried about disappointing us than himself, yet he's extremely irritated with his own weaknesses."

Jasper's mind went into strategy mode, different training sessions he'd done, different personalities that he'd been face to face with, but one stood out above the rest. One method that had worked better than all others. Grinning, I shook my head.

He smacked my shoulder with the back of his hand. "You know it worked with Bells. We could try it on him."

"And here I thought you were just picking on the baby sister at the time," I snorted, giving him a raised eyebrow.

"I was. Totally," he said with an evil grin, which made me laugh. "But that shit worked. Their talents are similar," he mused, rubbing his chin. "She was timid at first. So is he. Pissing her off made her concentrate, focus, and forget what everyone else was thinking or doing."

Nodding, I still shrugged a shoulder. "It couldn't hurt, right?" I asked him, but then frowned. "We'd have to warn everyone, especially Bella. He seems to need her by his side, but if you anger him, he'll be stronger due to his diet as of late."

"Pfft," Jasper scoffed, looking at me like I was crazy. "Like she wouldn't pin him in the blink of an eye just to settle his ass down. In fact, she and I might be the perfect ones to work with him. You and Dad would be there, too, of course."

"Of course." I chuckled, but smiled widely when I caught sight of the girls heading our way. "We'll talk about it on the way home. Okay?" I asked, and he nodded.

When the girls approached, I smirked when my eye caught a familiar pink striped bag. Dragging my tongue along my bottom lip, I raised an eyebrow at my girl.

_Don't start, Edward,_ she thought to me, her mind clearly amused at my expression. _I had to replace a certain black and white set. I liked that one!_

"My apologies, love," I said, though there was absolutely no way to keep the smug grin off my face.

Jasper eyed her bags, laughing softly. "Victoria's Secret and the bookstore... You know there's a naughty librarian, sexy teacher, off limits personal assistant jibe in there somewhere..."

"Yeah, well...your wife bought you socks. Should I asked if you're stuffing them somewhere or wearing them?" Bella snarked back, but grinned when Jasper simply laughed that much harder.

"_Stuffing_, my baby sis, is for Thanksgiving," he countered, shooting a wink her way.

"Aaand we're back to the holidays," I sang, standing up from the bench and giving Jasper a grin.

I had to ignore the thoughts he was thinking because books and lingerie did make for an interesting combo. There was a naughty teacher fantasy in there somewhere, but the mall was not the place to even consider exploring it. Though, Jasper was exploring the idea just fine on his own, only with Alice as the lead character. I smacked the back of his head, and he only laughed.

Looking over at my beautiful girl, I opened my mouth to ask a question, but it seemed that Bella could read my mind.

_No, baby...that's not the only set I bought. _She grinned, rolling her eyes.

Chuckling, I kissed her forehead. "Good," I growled dramatically against her skin, but I turned to look at Alice, who'd been quiet since they'd joined us.

"Whatever you two just decided about Archie...it works!" she gasped, looking between us. "What was it?"

"Just a different approach, darlin', that's all," he crooned to her, poking around in the handful of bags in her hands. She swatted them away, and he chuckled. "You can't tell me you bought Christmas already, Ali. You'll drive me nuts for the next month and a half."

Bella giggled. "I told her to wait. You boys are like kids."

"She likes to tease him," I told Bella, starting to pull open a bag or two she was holding, as well.

She grinned up at me. "You won't find anything, Edward. Although, I did get this..." She pulled out a large book and placed it in my hands. "It's the history of Maine. Caribou is in there, and I thought Archie might find it interesting. His dad is mentioned...in good ways. So is our house."

"Huh, really?" I murmured, thumbing through the book. "That's really nice, sweet girl." I handed the book back, thinking he'd eaten up every book she'd downloaded for him and handed him to read. It seemed they shared a love for the written word...or maybe Archie was just damn well determined to catch up with her. "What else did you get?"

Her laughter was like music, echoing around us in the mall, and it was sweeter than the music playing overhead. "You, sir, needed jeans and sneakers. You're lucky I love you. Otherwise, I'd have dragged you with me."

"I know I'm lucky," I grumped, but I smirked when she rolled her eyes again at me. I couldn't help it. I'd never cared for shopping for my own clothes. Alice had always done it for me, and once Bella and I had gotten married, she'd taken over. "You're the best, my Bella," I crooned.

She leaned into the kiss I was pressing to her cheek, giving me a sweet giggle. "Spoiled-ass vampire."

~oOo~

**BELLA**

"I don't know, Jazz," I sighed, gazing back at him from the front seat. "You really want to hit him with anger? We don't know how he'll react. _He_ may not know how he'll react."

"You can't tell me you're scared he'll hurt you," my brother taunted, but his smile fell when Edward shot him a glare in the rearview mirror.

"This isn't a dare," I argued. "And no...I can protect myself," I said, poking Edward, who grunted but smiled. "I'm just worried that he's already feeling all these things, and you're going to push him over some edge."

"I'm hopin' to push his ass out the door." Jasper chuckled. "Look, he's really comfortable with us – like...almost happy. You were the same way. The only time you truly succeeded was when we pushed you with fear, anger, or frustration. Maybe it's time to do that with Archie."

Edward breathed heavily through his nose but gazed over at me. His nose wrinkled a bit before he said, "As much as I detest the thought of you having to defend yourself, Jasper may have a point."

"It works! I'm telling you people," Alice chimed in, her voice amused and urging. "The number of tries and the method you and Jasper use changes a little, but the outcome is still the same. Archie takes down his own meal. Period."

I grimaced but nodded in acceptance. Our goal was to help Archie learn to hunt – or at least take down his own kill if he couldn't leave the yard – but he seemed so fragile to me.

"He's not fragile, sweet girl. He's stronger than he gives himself credit," Edward stated, linking our fingers together.

"Yeah, well, it wasn't you he was begging now, was it?" I huffed, frowning as I gazed out the side window. Flurries of snow smacked against the window.

"That was heartbreaking," Alice sighed in agreement. "You know, I half-expected him to lose his temper then, but he didn't. He was too scared."

"And too comfortable with Bella," Jasper added, raising an eyebrow at me when I spun to look at him again. "You know it's true. It's why you didn't train against Edward too much. He let you win," he taunted, grinning and giving Edward's shoulder a nudge.

"Not by much," Edward muttered wryly, smiling when I laughed. He picked up our clasped hands, kissing the back of mine. "To be honest, I'd be interested to see the result. We'd need to wait for Emmett, though."

"True," we all agreed, because not only would we need his strength if tempers got out of hand, but we'd need him to help hunt down a deer and hold it for poor Archie. Besides, our biggest brother would be extremely disappointed if he missed this first try.

"They'll be back tonight," Alice said knowingly. "We could try in the morning."

I surrendered, finally saying, "Okay," leaving the rest of the drive home to other subjects – what to teach Archie next, what movies were coming out, what games the boys were interested in, and whether or not we were going to play Truth or Dare at Thanksgiving. That last one earned a round of laughter, because as silly as it was, it was a tradition.

I laughed, my head turning to gaze at my handsome husband. "Maybe there'll still be snow," I teased, letting my mind remember the beauty that was a naked Edward making nineteen snow angels.

"Your turn," he growled sexily, raising an eyebrow my way. "I'm not kidding. You pick dare...and it's on."

The SUV exploded with laughter. That had been our very first Thanksgiving together, and I'd still been human at the time. I'd made him strip bare to make as many snow angels as possible in thirty seconds. It had been a test of my restraint, as well as a test of his speed. It was also in revenge for the teasing touch he'd given me per Emmett's dare.

I gasped dramatically, placing a hand over my heart. "You'd make me get naked in front of the whole damn family?"

Edward grinned. "You made _me_ do it!"

"He wouldn't last through the first angel," Alice said, cracking the fuck up.

"No...probably not," Edward snorted, shrugging when we chuckled at him. "Besides, I think Emmett would enjoy that too much."

"Like I'd pick dare," I countered, looking at my husband like he'd lost his mind. "Not now, anyway. You shouldn't have revealed that, baby."

"Apparently," Jasper chimed in wearing a grin, "we'll have new rules this year."

"Obviously." I laughed, squirming when Edward poked my side.

When we made it back home, the sun was setting. It had been a good day to get away from everything. As much as I liked helping Archie, his constant pull on my shield weighed heavily. And it was no easier on Jasper, Alice, and Edward. We'd never tell Archie that because he already felt like a burden, but Esme and Carlisle had seen it, sending us from the house with sympathy.

I had to smile when we all finally made it inside to the library, because it was Carlisle's turn for teaching Archie – only this time, it was vampire history. It was extremely interesting to hear it coming from the man that seemed to have seen and heard it all.

Books were spread all over the coffee table as Carlisle glanced up at us, wearing a warm smile. "Ah, there they are," he greeted.

Esme got up from her chair, hugging and kissing us all. "Carlisle was hoping you guys would make it back for this lesson. I think he needs help with a few things."

"How's it goin', Arch?" Jasper called as we fell into available chairs and sofas.

Edward pulled me down next to him on the loveseat, wrapping a strong arm around my shoulders.

"It's okay," Archie replied with a smile. "We couldn't decide whether to play chess or go through vampire history."

"Don't play Edward or Alice at chess, buddy," I warned him, tapping my temple. "It's a losing battle. They use their talents to cheat." I smacked at Edward's tickling fingers.

"No kidding." Jasper chuckled and gave a jerk of his chin toward Carlisle. "Dad, though, will straight up level you, simply with strategy."

"Well, it's the one thing I _do_ know," Archie said, and it was awesome to watch him grin with pride.

"However, you should _watch_ Edward and Alice play. It's hysterical," Esme piped up with a laugh. "I'm not sure they even bother moving the pieces."

"We don't," Edward and Alice said together.

"It's all in their minds," Carlisle explained. "It's a vicious circle with the two of them." He shot a giggling Alice a wink. "Alice sees Edward's decisions, but Edward can see her visions and her plotted move, so he alters _his_ decisions again just to counter. By the time they've thought through every possible move, one of them is calling out, 'Checkmate.' It's over before it's begun."

Archie laughed, looking between the two in question before looking to me. "But _you_ can play them."

"I can," I agreed with a smile. "I shield them, but even without Edward's cheating, he's good." That earned me a kiss to the top of my head. "Chess isn't my best game. I'd rather play video games against Emmett and Jasper. But if you wanted to challenge Edward, I could shield your thoughts from him."

Edward chuckled. "Challenge accepted, Archie. We'll play once Carlisle is finished."

"Oh, now we've got us a competition!" Jasper rubbed his hands together, looking to me. "Fifty on Archie. New brain, new moves, and he'll be unreadable."

I laughed. "Yeah, can't take that...gonna have to go with Edward. He beat Carlisle the last time we did this..."

"You're so biased, love," Edward growled softly against my temple.

Shrugging a shoulder, I huffed, "Sue me." I rolled my eyes to Carlisle and Archie, both of whom were highly amused. "Please, go on."

Carlisle grinned and nodded. "Let's begin, shall we?"

Carlisle started with some truths that even I had wondered about. He explained that there was no way of knowing how vampires actually began, like who was the father of us all. There were rumors and legends, speculations and theories, but none of them could be proven true. Some books and movies and even folklore experts had tried to trace us, and even the oldest among us didn't know.

Archie asked about Dracula, who was rumored to have been Vlad the Impaler, but considering that the Romanians dated back further than that, it wasn't true. Some people believed that the original vampire was Judas Iscariot – that when he'd hung himself after selling out Jesus to the Romans for thirty pieces of silver, God himself had saved him, only to curse him with immortality on Earth. That would've explained some things like the need for blood, due to the cursing of his soul, but not others – like the myths about sunlight, silver, and religious items. None of those things were true.

Then there was the theory of a dark ritual gone horribly wrong, where a man was forced to drink the blood of the strongest, the fastest, and the smartest, which changed his internal makeup, but Carlisle said that didn't explain our venom, our skin, or our immortality.

And of course, there was the legend that we were the sons and daughters of Lucifer himself – the snake in the Garden of Eden – but in all reality, we didn't know.

"There are so many regions on this Earth that have a legend that matches up to what we are," he went on to explain. "But no one truly knows where we came from." He paused for a moment, studying Archie's curious face. "It's kind of like Christianity. There are several beliefs that are similar. For example... In Egypt, Horace was born to a virgin, sacrificed himself for the benefit of others, and rose three days later. Sound familiar?" When Archie nodded, Carlisle smiled. "So, we may never know...about either, actually – religion or where vampires come from. Perhaps when we leave this world, we'll finally know."

Carlisle then turned his attention to the books on the table in front of them. He told about the ruling brothers of our kind – the Volturi. He described Aro, Caius, and Marcus, how they governed, what they guarded, and how things had turned sour not so long ago. Carlisle told of his time there and how he'd tried to teach them that there was more to humans than just treating them like a food source. They'd allowed him his strange diet but would never really listen.

Eventually, the desire for power and the abundance of corruption had caused the death of Aro and Caius by their own people. Carlisle then moved into the history that I knew. Marcus's escape from Italy, finding us, and our fight against Felix, who had been responsible for many, many immortal deaths, including Aro and Caius.

"Marcus still rules the Volturi to this day, but our friend Demitri has stepped up to his side to help him," Carlisle finished.

"Marcus rocks," Emmett boomed, walking in the door with Rose, Adrian, and Kevin right behind him. "Vamp 101!" He grinned, nodding to Carlisle. "Excellent."

Carlisle laughed a little and turned back to Archie. "Marcus has always been the fairest of the brothers. But yes, he is our friend. He still maintains the rules with a heavy hand, but that is for our protection as much as it is for the humans. We feel that humans would react...poorly if they knew most of the scary monsters they watch in movies are real."

Archie grinned, but turned toward Edward and me. "You stopped Felix."

"He tried to kill Bella," Edward stated without any emotion. "He deserved his fate."

"He tried to kill all of us," Jasper added with a nod.

Edward closed his eyes to get his temper under control, inhaling deeply the scent of my hair.

"There would've been no stopping Eddie," Emmett said calmly, wearing a serious expression as he watched his brother bury his nose in my hair. "I don't blame him. Bella was a young vampire, and Felix had fought with her, hurting her badly, but before he could finish the job, Edward took care of it."

To me, that hadn't been the worst of it, but I wasn't going to say it out loud. I even shielded my thoughts for a moment as I remembered not only the pain of Felix tearing my arm badly, but the pain that had sent me reeling when Edward had chased him too far. Our connection had stretched tightly, so the added agony had caused me to completely melt down. And that was the memory that Edward was most likely reliving – my cries for him, not the physical injury I'd sustained. I was easily fixed, but Edward had hated the sound of my wails, calling for him, panicking at the thought that something had happened to him.

Jasper swirled calm around me and Edward, and I turned to kiss my husband's cheek.

"Okay?" I asked softly against his jaw. When he nodded, I smiled, kissing him again. "Good."

Now that Adrian and Kevin were in the room, they talked about how Italy operated now. How Marcus kept things civil and open and honest. There was no dissension, no one more powerful than the other, and no more dark plots. Humans still worked in the castle – that hadn't changed, but Marcus gave them choices, options. He now had new powers under his control – one of them being a girl that could erase short term memories. She was new, having been found by our friend Brody. He'd been with us during the fight against Tanya.

Jasper gave Archie the details about the territory wars in the south. He explained why they happened, who had fought in them, and what his true job entailed. They'd been violent, bloody times. Archie hadn't really liked the story, but he accepted it as a part of the whole thing.

Carlisle then went on to discuss the Cullens' personal and family history. It was the filling in of the blanks for Archie. He knew some of it, but most of us joined in on this discussion. What started as a simple story really just turned into tall tales on one another that Esme finally called an end to.

"Okay, that's enough. Archie doesn't need to know just how many car races you guys had, or that Emmett streaked naked down a football field, or even that Jasper made a teacher orgasm in class. Just tell it right!" she chided with a laugh.

Archie had smacked his forehead with that last statement, causing the boys to roar with laughter.

Edward nodded at her with a big smile. "Yes, ma'am," he conceded, turning to Archie. "In order to live the way we do, Archie, we have to move after so many years. We've explained some of that to you. We also have to play rolls in order to fit in wherever we go, so we pose as high school or college students. Right now, here in Caribou, we're claiming that we're being taught at home. But all in all, it helps us maintain a long-term residence."

"Well, as long-term as we can get," Rose added. "We can only stay as long as the humans believe the lie. It's usually Carlisle that has the issue. It's hard to make him look closer to thirty when he's truly twenty-three."

"That's true," Carlisle agreed. "And that's where every member of the family comes into play. Edward hears what people are thinking. Alice can see decisions on what they decide to ask me. Jasper can feel doubt." Archie nodded with a smile, and Carlisle went on. "The rest are defense. Bella's talent is most effective because her shield will react if someone poses a threat – to herself specifically, but sometimes, the rest of us."

Edward tilted his head and a soft laugh escaped him. "Interesting, Archie," he praised, ignoring how the rest of us kept glancing between them. "It would work, but you're a long way from that point. I'd certainly be interested to see how that turned out."

"What?!" Rose, Emmett, and Jasper all yelled.

Edward laughed again. "Archie was thinking how his own talent would help. How he could listen to humans and not be seen."

"The master eavesdropper! That is awesome!" Emmett cheered, grinning over at Archie.

"Edward's right, though. I can't even..." Archie sighed, shaking his head.

"You will, son," Carlisle soothed, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Now...I believe there's a chess game to be played."

That changed Archie's frown. He glanced up when Edward got up to grab the chess set from the shelf and then waved us all into the dining room in order to set it up on the table.

"Oh, hell no! Archie's takin' on Ed?" Emmett gasped, rubbing his hands together and looking to me. "You shielding him?"

"Of course. Can't let Edward cheat now, can we?" I asked, getting a sexy wink from my smug man as he set all the pieces up onto the board.

Suddenly, poor Archie was overrun with advice – Edward was an aggressive player, don't start out using a specific move, make sure to guard your...whatever. It didn't matter. Edward took all of it in stride, and Archie just smiled and nodded politely.

Once the boys had sat down opposite each other, we all gathered around them.

"Okay. Ready, buddy?" I asked him, giving him a smile when he nodded. "Good. I'm going to shield you and Alice because she'll unavoidably show Edward your moves."

"Got it," he said, gazing down at the board while I gently wrapped my shield around him and my sister.

Edward had given him white, which gave him the first move. Before the first pawn had been touched, more bets were slammed onto the table.

"Rock this, Heavy E," Kevin said, tossing a fifty onto Jasper's and my antes.

"No, no, no...I'm thinkin' Archie's got some tricks up his sleeve," Emmett added, tossing his own bet in.

Soon, everyone was in on the bet. Rose chose Edward, Esme was willing to give Archie a shot, and Carlisle had a difficult time choosing, but ultimately, he picked Edward. Adrian couldn't decide, so he opted to bet on a draw. Alice was the last to cast her bet; she wasn't normally allowed in on these things, but since I was shielding her from Edward's side of the decision-making, she opted to root for Archie. That made it a split bet right down the middle of the family – four to four. Four hundred and fifty dollars rested on the shoulders of the players.

"Go get 'em, baby," I whispered against the top of Edward's head.

He shot me a sweet smile when I sat down next to him but then turned his attention to the game. And what a game it was! Without the ability to cheat, Edward seemed to have found a pretty even match in Archie. There were close calls, groans when pieces were removed from the board, and I was damn sure that Carlisle was giving Edward all sorts of silent advice.

But when it all came down to it, Archie knocked over Edward's black queen. "Checkmate," he said with a grin.

Groans and cheers erupted throughout the dining room, but I leaned in to give a kiss to Edward's cheek. "Good game, baby," I told him, but smirked at the look on his face. _You let him win,_ I surmised silently, keeping my face void of that assumption.

His only answer was a quick kiss to my lips and a glance over at a very happy, very proud Archie, who had Jasper, Emmett, Esme, and Alice all congratulating him for their win of the bet. Carlisle slapped him gently on the back, telling him well done. The whole family was proud of him, but most of all, Archie was proud of himself.

_I love you,_ I gushed, kissing him again. _That was a really, _really_ sweet thing you just did._

"It was a really close game," he said aloud, reaching to shake Archie's hand.

I wondered how close it was, truly. Was the end so close that Edward had allowed Archie to take the win? Or did Edward see that Archie needed this boost? Or had Edward known he was losing and just let it happen? That last thought caused my husband to shoot a wink and a grin my way.

_Whatever, handsome,_ I thought to him. _It turned out great. Look at him._

"Next time, Archie," Edward taunted him.

"Now," Carlisle clapped his hands together one time. "Who's next?"

~oOo~

_Edward, are you _sure_ we should do it this way?_ I asked him silently, worried about how we were about to approach Archie.

He glanced up from the guitar in his hands and nodded. His eyes were like warm, light honey, filled with understanding. He set the guitar to the side of the chaise and waved me over. I wanted to roll my eyes at the sight of his licking lips. He really did love me in his clothes. I was wearing his white button down shirt and nothing else.

After several games of chess the night before – and the exchanging of several hundred dollars at won and lost bets – Edward and Carlisle had talked quietly about Jasper's idea. They ultimately decided that it would be best not to tell Archie how we were handling it, but merely that he was going to give going outside another shot. Archie had agreed to try.

I came to stand next to Edward, and he reached out to trail his fingers up the sides of my legs. Lifting one foot to rest on his stomach, he leaned in to press a wicked kiss to the inside of my thigh.

"Yes, love," he whispered, barely allowing out any sound to his voice. "It should work. Alice sees no other way," he told me, looking up at me through his long, beautiful eyelashes.

Smirking, I shook my head at him. We were an endless cycle, the two of us. He was reveling in the sight of me in his shirt, but I wasn't fairing any better at the fact that he was only in a pair of dark jeans. A shirtless Edward was very, very sexy.

He grinned, nipping his teeth against my thigh, which caused me to squeal. He pulled me down sideways into his lap, smiling down at me.

Pressing his lips to mine, he then whispered really softly, "Use your shield, watch your back, and stay calm. Got me? He's stronger than you."

_He's not stronger than Emmett_, I countered.

"We'll all be there," Edward simply said, kissing me one more time before watching his fingers graze up and down my bare legs. "Or...we could just stay up here."

He grinned when I laughed, and teasing fingers became more aggressive fingers. They started to tickle, and I couldn't fight him. I merely writhed in a breathless, giggling heap in his lap. Finally, having no other alternative, I captured his hands with my shield, pinning them above his head on the chaise. I smiled in victory, changing my position so that I was straddling his lap. An evil smirk crossed his handsome face as I pressed my forehead to his.

"We have to get downstairs," I told him softly, brushing my lips across his.

"I know," he breathed in reply. "But you were teasing me in my shirt, beautiful."

_Edward, I could be wearing a full snowsuit, and you'd still say that_, I thought to him with a laugh.

He cracked up, his head falling back to the chair behind him, and I couldn't help but press a kiss to his delicious neck.

"That's probably true. Okay, okay...let's get down there," he conceded sadly, and I let his hands go free of my shield. He captured my face, kissing me almost stupid. "You're still really sexy in my shirt, though, baby. Just so you know."

"Behave, Cullen," I growled against his lips before I scrambled off of his lap.

He pouted like child who'd had all his favorite toys taken away, and it was completely adorable. "Yes, ma'am," he grumbled, getting up from the chair to pull a white T-shirt and black sweater on.

Once I'd gotten dressed in my own jeans and sweater, we descended the stairs and joined Carlisle and Archie in Archie's room. I could see Archie was trying to ready himself for this, but he glanced up at me.

"I'm nervous," he stated, his brow wrinkling.

"It's understandable," Edward soothed in the voice that always seemed calm.

"We're going to do something different this time, son," Carlisle told him. "You're going to work with Jasper and Bella together. We think they will be able to help you."

Archie frowned and turned toward the stone doorway where Jasper had appeared. "Won't it be...not me if you give me a false emotion?"

"I'm merely going to adjust your levels, man, not manipulate you completely. I may add in a few other things to help you, but there's more than just stepping outside involved today," Jasper stated, sounding like the major he once was – a touch commanding and firm, not allowing an argument. It brought back memories of how he'd helped me in the beginning.

"More?" Archie asked, looking skeptical.

Edward nodded. "You trust us that we have your best interest at heart, right, Archie?"

"Yes, of course, but..."

"Good, then come with us," he said, gesturing toward the stone entry that led to the cellar doors outside. "I want to show you something."

Jasper had opened the doors already, so the pale light of day bled down into the cellar. Carlisle went ahead and stepped outside, eying the snow-covered backyard, only to turn to Edward.

With a single nod, Edward turned to Archie. "When Bella wraps her shield around you, Archie, I want you to let your instincts rise to the surface. There will be four of you inside her shield, okay?" Edward asked as he held up four long fingers.

"Who else?" Archie asked, trying to glance outside, but Carlisle, Jasper, and Emmett were purposefully standing in his line of sight.

"You'll see," Jasper told him.

Archie looked so damned nervous that I couldn't help but take his hand in mine to soothe him.

Edward backed up out of the cellar to stand next to Carlisle. Jasper came to stand on Archie's other side. With a quick glance out to the backyard, I saw my other brothers out there, the largest of which was holding a rather large buck by the neck. He must have bitten him just enough for the venom to stun him because the animal wasn't fighting as much as I would've expected.

Turning to Archie and Jasper, I asked, "Ready?"

Both nodded, and I shot my shield around them, but also sent it clear across the backyard to encompass Emmett and the buck. Kevin and Adrian stood well off to either side, and Rose, Alice, and Esme were closer to the side of the house. We were all rooting for Archie.

Leaning to Archie's ear, I asked, "Tell me what you smell. Tell me what you _hear._"

As he inhaled, Jasper sent him calm, soothing feelings, along with enough bravery that it barely took much tugging on my part to pull Archie off that last step and onto the crunchy ice just outside the house. It helped that Archie's eyes were closed.

"I...I smell you...Jasper..." He inhaled deeply again. "Emmett...and..." His eyes snapped open, and instead of the deep red, they were black. "Blood. Heartbeat."

I glanced up at Jasper, who was smirking and nodding. "Good. Now look across the yard, Archie. Emmett has something for you."

Archie's head snapped up at a speed that was purely instinctual. His nostrils flared, his eyes darkened further, and his breathing picked up, but he was completely and unnaturally still.

Emmett wasn't that far away. He was just on the closest edge of what we considered the football field. An immortal could've jumped it in one leap. My eyes widened when Archie didn't move. He started to shake, his hand gripping mine.

"No, no, no," he growled, though his eyes never left Emmett.

This next part would be tricky with my shield. I had to shield myself from Jasper's power but keep Emmett inside at the same time Archie was hit with everything – anger, bravery, determination.

Jasper stepped between Archie and Emmett, his eyes fierce. "Go with it, buddy. Let it take you over."

"No!" Archie growled, looking to me.

"There's nothing wrong with what you're feeling, sweetie," I told him. "Nothing it all. It's how you hunt. That urge, that pull, that burn you're feeling in your throat? That's a good thing. Let go."

He shook his head profusely, but glared when Emmett called out to him.

"Fine, Arch...I'll keep it," he taunted, fighting his grin when Archie growled.

Carlisle stepped up to the side. "Son, you're stronger than you think. You think something bad happens when you let go, but it doesn't always. You can stay partially aware of your surroundings at the same time you're hunting."

I took a deep breath, locking gazes with Jasper. When he nodded, I braced myself for what I was about to say because he really needed to hear it.

"Archie, look at me," I snapped just enough to get his attention. Black eyes locked with mine, though they kept flickering to his intended meal. "Your dad... Sweetie, he deserved what you did to him. Victoria? She was an idiot. This...this is nothing compared to what you've survived. Your dad deserved ten times what you did to him." It was the next part that hurt me to say it, but with Jasper's help, it was the key to what we were trying to do. "Or maybe you'll just let them all win. You'll just waste away..." I let go of his hand when Jasper hit him with fury, stepping toward Emmett. "Fine, then...I'll take it from you."

There's a moment when we're hunting that instinct takes completely over. That the civility of our human side tends to slip away. We were banking on that with Archie. He wanted so badly to get better, but he was allowing his fear of the things he'd done to rule him so much that he wouldn't let his other side take over. The need to take, to protect one's kill was one of the first things Edward had taught me. It didn't matter that my soulmate was holding my meal for me because if I wanted it badly enough, I'd fight anyone for it.

I took two or three steps away, my boots squishing into the snow, and the anger that Jasper was sending out combined with the instinct Archie was fighting suddenly boiled over. He growled low, launching himself at me, but I'd expected it, so with my shield, I wrapped him up and put him to the ground on his back. A small drift gathered up behind his back as we slid a few feet.

"Do you want it?" I growled in his face.

"Yes!" he snarled, giving the buck a quick glance. "The heartbeat..."

"Right. Now...take it! Think only on that heartbeat, and take it."

I barely had to use my shield to push him along, though I did gather it in tighter around me, Emmett, and Archie. Emmett dropped the buck with a grin, backing away as much as my shield would allow as Archie landed, bit, and drank almost in one fell swoop.

"Aw, hells yes!" Emmett cheerfully hissed, punching the air.

"That's what I'm talkin' about," Jasper praised.

I looked back to Carlisle and Edward, and both shot me winks, wearing proud smiles on their faces.

Once Archie had drained the buck, he sat back on his heels and stared down at the animal in shock. Emmett and Jasper stood to the side, but Carlisle and Edward came to kneel in front him. Just in case he reacted poorly, I kept my shield around him and sat down next to him.

"Hey," I whispered, touching his shoulder. I smiled at him when his eyes locked onto mine. He looked shocked, a little wary of me, but he stayed quiet. "Look where you are, buddy," I told him, gesturing with a finger around us.

His eyes widened, his mouth fell open, but he didn't move as he realized that not only that he was out of the house, but that he was just about in the middle of the backyard.

"Really, really well done, son," Carlisle praised with a big warm smile.

Archie shook his head, looking to Edward.

"Nope...not a single bad thing happened, Archie," Edward answered with a grin. "And attacking Bella doesn't count. She wanted you to do that."

"Really?" he barely breathed, looking to me with wide eyes.

"Yep," I said with a nod.

Jasper sat down as Emmett pulled away the carcass, saying, "We needed to let you see that instincts are good, man."

Emmett plopped down with us, and soon, the entire family was in a circle around him. Archie gazed around him, and I could see that he seemed nervous because he shot the cellar doors a long glance.

He looked to Jasper. "Are you doing this?"

Jasper grinned. "Nope. All you."

"It's the blood, Archie," Edward explained, taking a spot next to me. "It calms you, especially when it's fresh like that."

"Exactly," Carlisle agreed. "While the donated blood was keeping you fed, it wasn't giving you everything you needed. It's better if it comes directly from the source."

Archie huffed a single laugh, which caused the whole family to chuckle.

Kevin grinned, patting Archie on the back. "Helluva damn job, Arch."

Archie suddenly looked like he'd be blushing if he were able, but he looked to Carlisle. "I'm outside."

I grinned, leaning into Edward as Carlisle agreed that he was.

"You are, sweetie," Alice chimed in. "And no, we don't have to go back in yet."

Archie grinned, and for the first time ever, he truly seemed happy. "Just for a minute."

Carlisle chuckled, squeezing his shoulder. "Take your time, son. Take your time."

* * *

**A/N... Hot DAMN! Archie's outside...AND he took down his own deer! :) It took pushing him just a little to get that result. We'll see more of his reaction next chapter.**

**No songs this time around to add to the playlist. Sorry.**

**I want to apologize to anyone that was offended by Kevin's dad. He's an ass, but his reaction was quite real. He's an exaggerated version of a friend's father. When she came out of the closet, he told her that he couldn't deal with her because all homosexuals were fiends and drug addicts. They were sexually promiscuous people, and he didn't want to know her. Mind you, she's been with the same partner for over 16 years, and they raised an amazing son together. My friend and her father didn't speak for years. I thought you should know. Hmm?**

**Okay, I'm already working on chapter 18, so I'm hoping that I can post on time Sunday. Keep your fingers crossed. :) I'm sure all of you will be squealing in happiness over Archie's grand achievement, so let me hear it! :D Until next time... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N... So not a lot of questions this time around, but there were a lot of cheers – and a request to resurrect William Varner just to kick his ass vamp-style. LOL I liked that one. ;) Thanks for dusting off the old pom poms... and bless you to the one that sneezed. :)**

**To my firefighters... There are no SM books in this fic. LOL If you'll remember, Bella wrote _Forever_, which was the story where she and Edward met. Hmm? However...there is a jibe at Edward in _An Angel's Promise_ about him looking like Cedric Diggory from _Harry Potter_. LOL AND Bella has already told Archie about the wolves...when she sat him down to tell Archie her story. OH! And to settle the bet concerning Archie going outside... Three days.**

**So the next question is... Does Archie stay outside? Or go back in? The ONLY way to write this was through Edward, so I'll let him get started. :) And I want to thank the reviewer who handed me this plot bunny on a silver platter! THANK YOU! You'll see...**

* * *

Chapter 18

**EDWARD**

It had taken all the restraint I had to stop myself from intervening when Archie launched himself at my wife. Every bit of restraint. If it hadn't been for the fact that she and Jasper were pushing him, that her smile when he'd jumped had been genuine, then I would've stepped in.

Not since since Kevin had the family rallied around one person, one singular vision. The time prior to that had been protecting my Bella. There were times in between when we were a flawless team, but not as solid as this. The whole lot of us had been utterly overflowing with pride when Archie finally let go.

As we all sat in the middle of the snow-covered backyard, Archie gazed around with wide eyes. His thoughts were shock and a touch of awe at himself. He'd come so far, been pushed passed just about every limit, and now he was sitting in the yard that he'd played in as a child.

That last thought made me smile, but I hid it in Bella's shoulder. Unable to be quiet, the family broke out into different subjects. Maybe it was to help relax Archie, or perhaps they were nervous for him, because he was definitely out of the house. And more than just a step or two. He was several yards from the back cellar doors.

"I rode my first horse...right over there," he suddenly piped up, though his voice was tentative. He pointed toward the far back of the yard at the edge of the woods.

We all came to a standstill, letting him guide us, letting him lead the moment. I didn't even want to hear his thoughts at this point because this was an enormous step for him.

"Her name was Star," he said with a slight chuckle. "She had a...a white spot," he murmured, gesturing to his nose. "She scared me to death, really. I was...four, maybe five at the time."

"Who taught you?" Esme asked gently.

"My mother," he said with a sad smile. "She loved to hunt, fish, ride horses...that sort of thing. She had all brothers growing up." He was quiet again for a minute – almost two – and then smiled again. "I fell off a few times. This is like that...isn't it?" he asked, but looked to Carlisle.

"A bit," he answered with a small chuckle. "Archie, in the last few weeks, you've had a crash course in a hundred years of history, not to mention you're discovering things about your immortality that it took some of us years to learn. This...this is a really good thing."

Archie was embarrassed by the praise because he'd never really heard it growing up, except from his mother. He nodded but gave his surroundings another wistful glance. He was remembering playing catch with friends, reading on cool, spring days under the tree closest to the house, and running away from his mother when she chased him.

It was also interesting to watch a hundred years of changes to the house and lawn fly through his mind. There was a barn, but then it was gone. There were swings set up for the orphanage, but then torn down. I saw grasses that grew too tall and then were cut, planters filled with every flower imaginable, only to be overrun with weeds. Human faces, both scared and curious, swam in and out of clarity. I hid my grimace at a few of those that never made it out of the house. Even the interior changed rapidly in his mind – furniture moving in and out, paint colors, rugs. There were blurry moments of his human days and even blurrier immortal ones when he was absolutely starving. It was those times when he struggled to maintain his sanity.

My family was looking to me, but I simply shook my head as a warning. He needed this moment. He needed to recognize that his past was his own – good or bad – and that he wasn't alone. I watched him piece it together: Carlisle's struggle, my illness, Rose's attack, Alice's imprisonment, Jasper's fight, Kevin's father, Adrian's sister, and even Emmett's bear attack. But the one person he had the most in common with was Bella. Flaming red hair and pale, immortal flesh swarmed to the forefront, and Archie looked to Bella.

He remembered her story, how Bella had overcome it all, but mostly, she hadn't let Victoria beat her. That she hadn't let all the lies and abuse that Jake had thrown at her make her weak. And for that, he was inspired by her, especially after today.

"Just so you know, she didn't do it alone," I told him aloud, which only kicked up the curiosity higher around us. "She had this." I gestured around the group of us with a finger. "But you're right," I agreed, twirling her ponytail around my hand. "She never let a single bit of it stop her."

He frowned and nodded. A single shiver wracked his frame, and I monitored his mind. My brow wrinkled as I watched a true change take over him. And I wondered if that was what it had been like when I stepped back into Bella's life. The very second I'd returned back to her, I'd felt at peace, at home. I'd felt right again, and there would've been nothing that could've torn me from her side, save for my death. Once I'd accepted that we belonged to each other, that I wasn't just some passing crush to a human girl, it had all fallen into place. I'd physically felt the change. I wondered right then if Archie felt his.

His next thought surprised me, though, because it went into a darker direction than I'd expected.

"Yeah," I said with a nod. "It's still there. It's still standing."

"I need to see it," he said softly, locking gazes with me. His eyes were more of a blood orange color now that he'd taken animal blood from its source. "I want to look."

"Okay," I conceded. "I'll take you. But you should know it's about a half a mile from here."

"I remember," he murmured.

"Half a mile? That's pretty far, son," Carlisle warned, but Archie nodded to him.

"I know. I'm...I'm okay," he said, surprised that the words were the truth, looking down at his hands. "I feel...different."

"Archie," I called him, and he glanced back up. "I'm sure you want privacy for this, but... As a precaution, I'm going to have Emmett and Jasper lag behind and Carlisle come with us."

"That's fine," he agreed, but his eyes flickered to the girls and Esme. He didn't want them to see what he was about to do because he wasn't sure how he'd react. He simply didn't want their pity or to scare them.

"Sweet girl, we'll be right back," I whispered against Bella's temple. "We're not going far, okay?"

"Sure. We'll take care of...that," she said with a smile, pointing to the buck off to the side, "and then we'll be inside when you get back."

"Thank you, baby," I said with a chuckle.

The girls, Kevin, and Adrian walked away at a human pace but quickly disappeared into the woods carrying the remains of the buck Archie had drained. They would bury the body in order to dispose of it.

I turned to Archie. "Are you sure?" When he nodded, I turned to my brothers. "Follow us, but stay back a bit. We're not going far."

"Sure, Ed," Emmett agreed immediately, though his mind was a little confused as to where we were going.

Jasper, on the other hand, had an idea, and he was completely right. But he grinned when Archie started to walk toward the woods.

"Hey, Archie," he called with a chuckle, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We..." He gestured around at the lot of us. "We don't _walk_ anywhere if we don't have to. Do you even know how fast you are?"

Archie's brow furrowed, but he honestly had never, ever opened up at full speed. He'd moved about the house at a fast pace, but never had he really just...taken off.

I huffed a laugh and grinned at him. "Oh, now this is truly one of the perks of this life, Archie."

Carlisle chuckled. "Truly. We'll stay with you. Edward, lead the way. You seem to know what the destination is..."

"I do," I said, sobering up quickly. I studied Archie's face one last time to make sure he was really okay with not only being outside, but with leaving the yard altogether. His mind was made up, so I nodded once and took off into the woods in the opposite direction that the girls had gone.

Ice and snow clung to the branches of trees, causing a blur of black and white, as I ran. I didn't go my fastest because I wanted to keep pace with Archie. He was almost grinning at what running was making him feel. Through his mind, he couldn't believe just how _much_ he could keep track of while going so fast. He'd never allowed this part of his immortal mind to run free. He was aware – and could avoid – fallen trees, drifts of snow, even small woodland creatures that were caught unaware. He could smell the pine sap, the clean scent of untouched snow, and Emmett and Jasper, who were not far behind us and a little off to the side.

When I slowed down, so did everyone else. I grimaced as to what Archie wanted, though I couldn't blame him one bit. I, myself, would've probably wanted the same thing.

I placed a hand on his shoulder and guided him into a small clearing, a clearing that was extremely familiar in my mind. I'd seen it time and time again through Archie's thoughts. I'd even sought it out because I'd been curious as to whether or not the tree William Varner had tied his son to was still standing.

It was. It was a rather large oak that had to have been around fifty years old when Archie had been chained to it. Now, it was thicker, taller, and rather intimidating to see. Large branches hung low and were heavy with the recently fallen snow. The trunk was twisted and gnarled, giving it a sad, scarred look to it. But it was the bumpy roots around it that had been the problem from the beginning.

Those roots had caused the hole in which Elaine Varner had broken her leg. Archie's dad had tied him to his tree for a reason. It had been pure, vindictive punishment. I sighed, shaking my head and shoving my hands into my front pockets.

_Is that..._ Carlisle started, his face spinning to gaze at me.

"Yes," I barely answered aloud, keeping my eyes on a slowly walking Archie.

I wished I could give Archie his mental privacy. There was a part of me that regretted not bringing Bella with us, if not for that reason alone – to let the guy have his moment of grief, of guilt, of regret. I also wondered if she'd have been able to talk to him, but I sincerely doubted it. He truly needed to see the place where his life had gone to hell.

Once Carlisle realized where we were, he stayed silent next to me, but his thoughts were a combination of heartbreak for the boy and pride that he was facing a very, very old wound.

Archie didn't approach the large oak at first, but he eyeballed the ground, causing flashes of his mother's accident to come to mind. He'd wanted so badly to take care of her, to get her home, but it had been impossible. Physically, he'd been unable to do more than let her lean on him, and even that had been a struggle.

He pushed his mother out of his mind, giving the small clearing a slow glance. He remembered the fight with his father, the surrender to William's wishes, and the begging not to leave him in the woods, but it was all for nothing. He glanced off to his left, the place where Victoria had appeared like a ghost, like an angel, but he'd known she wasn't either of those things.

Shaking his head, Archie stepped closer to the tree and placed his hand on the trunk. He allowed his fingers to graze over the rough bark, but he froze about halfway up, his fingers digging into the wood.

"Oh hell," I groaned, looking over to Carlisle. "The chain – or at least part of it – grew into the trunk," I muttered softly.

Archie spun to glare at me when I spoke. He wasn't mad, just...very sad. He pointed to the ground. "My mother fell...right here," he said, gesturing to a rather prominent root jutting up from the snow-covered dirt. "I heard the snap of her bone." He huffed a laugh that almost sounded hysterical, but he held up a hand when Carlisle started toward him. "My dad thought I'd learn my lesson if it was this place...this tree he tied me to."

Jasper and Emmett appeared off to the side, despite my request to stay back, but Jasper couldn't help it. He could feel Archie's turmoil all around him. Emmett, on the other hand, was hoping this wasn't going to set the "little guy" back a step or two.

Archie spun back toward the tree, reaching for that tiny piece of chain. With one swift yank, it snapped out of the trunk with a strange sound. Bits of bark and wood shot off into the distance, but Archie gazed down at about three feet of chain in his hand. It was rusty, old, and still clinging to some of the tree from which it came.

"He wouldn't tie the dog to the tree...but he tied me?" he asked to no one in particular. "It wasn't my fault," he barely whispered.

"No, little dude," Emmett sighed. "It really wasn't."

"She knew these woods better than me. It wasn't my fault."

"No, Archie, it wasn't," I agreed, but it seemed what we'd been trying to tell him had finally sunk in.

"It was an unfortunate accident, son," Carlisle soothed.

"I know," Archie suddenly said, and when he looked up, his eyes were black with anger. "He never listened. He never believed me!" His hands squeezed around the metal links in his hands, and the parts that were in his palms disintegrated into rusty dust.

Emmett smiled. "Do it again, buddy. Tear it up. Get rid of it. Make it all go away."

Archie grinned, but it was more of a sneer. He wadded up the chain like it was a piece of paper. Brown granules sprinkled down to the forest floor at his feet.

Glancing over at Jasper, I wrinkled my brow in a silent question as to whether he was feeding Archie this anger.

_No, Edward. He's doing this all on his own. It's all I can do not to tear that tree up for him,_ Jasper thought to me, smirking a little.

I snorted softly, glancing back to Archie, who was indeed staring down the tree like it was an army about to attack. He brushed his hands off on his jeans, shaking his head slowly.

"And then _she_ comes," he whispered, again to no one in particular – only this time, Carlisle started to approach him. "That...that...that _demon_. I didn't stand a chance." He rounded on Carlisle. "Did I?!" he yelled at him, and my father froze mid-step.

"You couldn't have fought her, no," Carlisle responded gently.

Emmett suddenly couldn't take it. He'd never once regretted his life or Rose changing him. Not once. He rushed forward to Archie, spinning the angry vampire to face him.

"You've had a shit go at things, buddy, but it's not all bad. Look where you are. Fuck, dude... Last week, you couldn't even step out of the cellar. A few weeks before that, we thought you were a damn ghost. Look at you now. Do I look angry to you? Do I look like regret any of it?" Archie shook his head no, wide-eyed but still angry. "You're here. You've overcome it all, little man. Get rid of it!"

Emmett sprinted in a blur across the clearing to a different tree, and with one large fist and a heavy swing, that tree's trunk exploded. I grinned, turning back to Archie.

"He's right, son. You can find something good to cling to, but you have to let go of this...this regret you have," Carlisle stated.

"I did," I piped up, shaking my head and stepping forward. "I get it. I hated every ticking second. I hated a hundred years of my life, Archie." I raised an eyebrow at him to remind him we weren't so different. "It isn't all bad. You can tear away the past, rebuild, start over, and find the good in things."

"We've all done it, man," Jasper added.

Grinning when the thought entered Archie's mind, I nodded encouragingly. "Do it! If it makes it better...then _do it_!" I growled, remembering having said that very thing to my sweet girl once when she'd needed to rage, to tear something up after the death of her elderly lady friend, Miss Gail.

In the fastest move I'd ever seen him make, Archie launched himself at the tree – only...it wasn't a tree to him. It represented everything that had gone wrong. It was Archie himself, his father, Victoria...everything he'd been holding in. He tried to punch it like Emmett had, but only half of it shattered, causing the whole thing to rumble, shake, and teeter. With one more hard swing, a loud crack echoed through the quiet forest. Wind whistled through the big branches as the tree tumbled down to the ground. Limbs snapped, snow splattered everywhere, and birds flew away into the distance.

Carlisle, Jasper, and I had to step back, but once the tree settled into a broken mess onto the ground, Emmett cheered, punching the air with a giant fist.

Archie fought his smile as our biggest brother's hand landed on his shoulder. He chuckled once before saying, "That felt really good."

Jasper and I bumped fists, but Carlisle stepped forward and said, "I just bet it did. How do you feel?"

Archie's brow wrinkled, and he took a deep breath, letting it out. "I'm tired of being afraid. I'm tired of hiding. I'm tired of not knowing anything. I feel like I could level this whole forest, but my mind is...weary."

We all nodded in understanding. It happened to creatures that couldn't sleep and whose minds never stopped.

"Come on, Archie," Carlisle encouraged, guiding him away from his destruction. "Let's get back. Esme will want to mother on you a bit, I think."

That caused an embarrassed smile to cross Archie's features, but he nodded. Before we left the clearing, he stopped, giving the now-leveled tree one last glance. As he looked at it, he realized he didn't feel anything toward it any longer. He glanced up at me and gave one nod.

I didn't acknowledge that thought aloud, but I did ask, "Run back?"

He grinned, looking every bit the young man of twenty in which he was frozen. "Umm, yeah... That was...something."

All four of us laughed, and he joined us as we took off back toward the house.

~oOo~

**BELLA**

"Oh," Alice gasped and then sighed sadly as we finished getting rid of Archie's kill. "The tree. That's where they went."

"Damn," I groaned, shaking my head.

"Well, it's understandable," Adrian piped up softly as he led us back toward the house. "I mean...Archie's never really _seen_ where everything happened. It all sort of started there. You know?"

"I hope he tears the bitch down," Rose grumbled, grinning when Esme hissed a reprimand. "What? I do! He deserves his closure."

I smirked but stayed quiet. Of course Rose would believe in retribution and closure. The ways in which she'd gotten even with Royce after his attack and her change were no less than terrifying, but Edward had said she'd calmed down a little after that, even more so after Emmett had come into her life. Perhaps she was right. Maybe Archie did need to tear that damn tree down.

We trekked back into the house, all of us kicking off wet and muddy shoes at the back door. Esme stoked the fire in the fireplace as Kevin snatched the remote for the TV. He and Adrian fell down into the loveseat together, Alice and Rose took the sofa, and Esme squeezed into the chaise with me, making me giggle. But she wrapped a loving arm around me, kissing the side of my head.

We watched whatever design show, fashion competition, or talk show that Kevin happened to stop on for a few minutes, but I was pretty damn sure we were all thinking about Archie and the boys. TV was merely a distraction.

Kevin muted the noise, looking up to Esme. "You think Archie will ever mate?" he asked out of the blue.

I smiled softly but looked over at her, as did everyone else.

"Anything is possible, I suppose," she mused, her brow furrowing a little. "Why do you ask?"

Kevin shrugged and grinned. "He's been alone so long..."

Something about the way Kevin said that reminded me so much of how my family had seen Edward for so many years. And how Edward had seen himself – alone, angry, bitter...a monster. Archie wasn't really bitter, just a little sheltered. He was angry about how he'd come into this life, but he was slowly learning that he'd not really lived.

"You think a mate will make it all better?" Rose teased, batting away the pillow Kevin launched her way.

"Doesn't it?" I piped up. "I mean, look at Edward. They're very similar in some ways – age, time alone, not exactly happy..."

"Hmm, that's true," Alice sighed. "Edward's completely different now than he was before Bella."

Kevin and Adrian knew our story, but Kevin still asked, "That bad?"

I chuckled, looking up to Esme, who answered. "Not bad, no," she said carefully, sounding like a loving mother that didn't want to make the eldest yet the baby sound like a spoiled child. It made me grin, but she went on. "Edward was very lonely. And his talent wasn't much help. Carlisle often worried that he'd changed him too young, but I wasn't sure that was truly the problem. He was fine for a few years, trying to give Carlisle and me some space. But even after Rose and then Emmett, we started to see that he wasn't...interested in finding a mate."

I tsked a little, shaking my head. "He was interested," I corrected her a little, wrinkling my nose. "He tried, but..."

"But it wasn't you," Adrian finished with a chuckle, shooting me a wink when I grinned unabashedly. "I can't imagine watching all of you and being alone." He laughed, shrugging a shoulder. "Not to mention what Edward's heard," he said, tapping his temple.

"And there was the problem," Rose said with a nod. "Edward was always just on the outside of things, never really with us. There wasn't much he could do about it, either."

"Oh, I hated that," Alice murmured sadly. "There were times I didn't want to leave him alone, or times I'd make Jasper stay home. I felt badly for him."

"He knows all of this, you know." I grinned. "He never truly held it against you."

"No, but he felt he was...off somehow, like something was wrong with him," Esme stated, smiling when I gasped and looked up at her, because I was damn sure that he'd never admitted that to anyone but me. "Oh, sweetie, I knew that. It was written all over his face. And that's my worry for Archie. He's so behind, so sheltered that I worry that he'll think he's always missing something, that he'll always feel like an outsider, even if he chooses to stay with us. It was really hard as a mother watching my son go through that for so many years. It would break my heart to watch it again."

"You want to keep him, don't you?" Kevin asked, laughing at her. "We're all just strays to you!" he yelled dramatically, causing all of us to laugh with him.

She grinned, rolling her eyes. "You're all my _kids_, silly boy," she corrected him. "And if Archie chose to come with us the next time we moved, then I'd accept him; Carlisle and I would accept him just like we have all of you. But it truly is up to Archie."

We were quiet for a moment after she said that, but Kevin, not to be deterred from his original question, said, "Well..." He huffed, rolling his eyes. "He's not gay."

Rose and Alice collapsed in a heap of laughter.

"No," Adrian agreed, shaking his head. "No, he's not gay."

"Oh, boy," I sighed. "Here we go. No matchmaking with girls...immortal or human," I said firmly. "He's got enough to be going on with."

"That's very true," Esme agreed. "Although, now that he's out of the house, he'll only get better and better."

All of us smiled at that. We were so proud of Archie.

The television stayed muted as the conversation switched to different things, only to wind up at the subject of Carlisle and his work.

"Okay, so..." Rose said, rubbing her hands together. "Emmett and I are out, and now Bells and Edward are out. Tell us, _Mom_...how close is Dad to going back to the hospital?"

Esme laughed. "Oh, so close," she gushed, holding up her thumb and finger about an inch apart, and we exploded into hysterics. "So, so close. And he's almost caved when we've gone to pick up blood for Archie. I'm still in, though. He has until Thanksgiving for me. Who's left?"

"Oh, yeah...he's wavered," Alice said knowingly, "but he's made no firm decision yet. Let's see... Jasper's with you: Thanksgiving."

"We're still in," Adrian piped up, gesturing between himself and Kevin, who was nodding and grinning. "We said by Christmas."

"When did you guys go out?" Esme asked.

"Yeah." I laughed and nodded. "Em and Rose said within a week of moving in, so they were out damn fast. Edward and I said within two months, so we've been out a week."

"Speaking of bets," Kevin said, wearing an evil grin, but it was Alice's maniacal laughter that made my eyebrows raise. "Isn't it about time that we found out whether Heavy E likes to talk dirty? I mean, I've never even heard him curse!"

I sighed and groaned, rolling my eyes. Carefully shielding everything about me, I shook my head.

"I have, but only when he was fighting with the boys," Rose added with a laugh. "Spill, woman!"

I looked to Esme, who surprisingly enough was wearing a blank expression. "Don't tell me! You're in on this nonsense, too?" I gasped, my mouth hanging open.

She finally broke into a grin. "Look, I think my son is a perfect gentleman, but I also think that he's absorbed a lot – and I do mean, _a lot – _of outside influence with that mind reading of his."

I smirked, glancing around at them. I would never confirm, nor deny any of it. The fact that it was a family bet was disturbing, and I couldn't quite remember how it started, but it was most likely when I was still human and couldn't hear all the trash talk that they'd spew at one another.

"Edward _is_ a perfect gentleman," I concurred, giving them nothing else. "You really should drop this ridiculous bet," I told them firmly.

"Hell, no!" Rose guffawed. "I've got a new BMW riding on this shit!"

"Oh damn." I sighed. "What else?" I asked, looking around at them. "What else are you betting? And who's betting what?"

"Emmett thinks he doesn't talk dirty, thinks it would be 'beneath' Edward to do so," Rose told me, using air quotes. "He's sure of it."

"Jasper can't tell, but he's going with does talk dirty. I get a trip to Paris for a new wardrobe if he's wrong," Alice piped up. "Since I can't tell, then I'm in, too. I see no decisions concerning how Edward speaks, so I say he doesn't."

"Oh, so these are between each couple?" I asked, but it was Esme's laugh that caught my attention.

"Yes, it is. Carlisle says no. Never. That Edward doesn't," she admitted. "I think...knowing my son...that he's very passionate. So I bet that he did."

"And what's the bet between you two?" I asked her incredulously.

"A new house...from the ground up," she said with pride and a silly grin.

"I bet no," Adrian said with a chuckle. "Kev here says he does."

"Not a chance!" Kevin cracked up. "Heavy E has some seriously freaky issues. There's some closet dirty talk, I just know it!" He paused for a second, glancing at Adrian. "Our bet is—"

"Ugh! Don't!" Alice held up her hand. "Their bet is some sort of sexual debauchery in public."

Kevin grinned, but Adrian sighed, looking away and fighting his smile.

"Oh my damn," I gasped, looking at my family. "You people need a life. I'm not kidding. And I really have no idea what you're talking about."

"It doesn't matter," Alice countered with a grin. "No bets are valid unless _everyone_ hears it. So if you're lying, then please...continue, because it really doesn't matter. If you're not lying, then this bet will go on for decades."

Suddenly, I couldn't take it because there was one person that could actually confirm the existence of Dirty Edward. I stood up from the chaise, much to their amusement, thinking really loudly to Edward. _Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, if you're hearing this shit, then you'd better save me...like now!_

My phone went off about the same time that I swore I could hear laughter faintly in the forest.

**E: They know nothing, my sweet girl. ;) Please, trust me. I'll tell you why soon. We're not far. Be there in a few.**

I harrumphed, rolling my eyes, but quickly erased his message before Rose could snatch my phone from my hand. I grinned her way and pocketed my phone.

"They're not far," I stated, hoping to change the subject. "I wonder how Archie's doing out there."

Esme tugged me back down into the chair with her at the same time that we went back to the TV. Kevin found a show about actors on Broadway, and we all settled in to watch it. With a brief glimpse at his face, I wondered if Kevin missed it – performing on stage. Though, he usually never complained, and I was pretty sure he really enjoyed playing music with the boys.

I chuckled when the loud ruckus that was the boys met our ears. They piled into the house, looking wind-blown.

"Off with the shoes!" Esme yelled, which caused grumbles, not to mention sudden stops.

Snickering softly, I realized that every last one of them sounded like her real, complaining children. But it was Emmett's excitement that had us all sitting up and taking notice.

"Oh yeah! Guess who hunted on his way back!" he announced with a big-ass grin.

"No way!" Kevin gasped, and all our eyes fell to Archie, who looked like he'd rather be ignored, but he also looked rather proud of himself.

"Yes way," Edward said with a chuckle, stalking into the room, and he plopped down at the foot of the chaise that Esme and I were sharing.

"And he did it on pure instinct," Carlisle praised, patting Archie's back. "He took down a moose."

Those of us that had been left behind broke into cheers, causing Archie to gaze more at his feet than anywhere else, but he was wearing a pretty damn big grin.

"Well, now all that's left is to sign him up for school," I teased, leaning into Edward's strong arm around me and chuckling kiss to my temple as I sat forward.

Poor Archie's panic-stricken face snapped up to gape at me.

"I'm kidding!" I laughed, shaking my head.

"Oh, okay," Archie said with a slight sigh of relief.

Edward pulled me closer but merely smiled into the kiss to my cheek. But I pulled back to look at him. I wanted to roll my eyes at the mirth that was gleaming in his eyes and the shit-eating grin he was fighting. And I was absolutely certain it had more to due with the conversation I'd had to endure more than it concerned Archie. Edward lost his fight with his grin, and I narrowed my eyes at him as the family continued to rally around Archie.

_They have to _all_ hear you, you know,_ I thought to him, and he nodded slowly, his grin barely wavering.

"Trust me," was all he'd say in my ear, giving it a swift, soft kiss.

I wasn't sure why I cared that no one knew about that side of Edward, except that it was mine. It was a side of him only I knew about. Maybe it was fun to keep them guessing, or maybe it was just a part of us that we just wanted to keep private. But whatever the reason, we guarded it like nothing else, it seemed. However, I didn't see a private conversation coming up anytime soon, so my curiosity at why my handsome husband was so confident that our secret would stay safe was just about to drive me crazy.

He laughed. "I love you. Relax, love."

I pursed my lips at him, but gave in. I completely trusted him, but still...this was important shit. His chuckle shook us both as I pulled his back against me, his head resting back on my chest. Archie was deep into a conversation about television with Emmett and Jasper, so I could see what the next lesson would be. The concept wasn't all that foreign to Archie, having seen some of it come through the last several years. He'd told us that he'd been shocked in the fifties and sixties at the sight of it, but by the time it had reappeared in the seventies, he was okay with it.

"What you really need to learn is the phone," Emmett told him, holding up his cell. "And I mean that. Just in case we aren't home and you need us..."

"Actually, that's not a bad idea," Alice murmured, shrugging a shoulder.

Archie looked overwhelmed for a second but shot a glance to Edward when he chuckled.

"Don't let it intimidate you. That's a technology you'll really find useful, but it's like nothing you'd be able to compare it to," Edward told him, playing with my wedding ring. "Did you see any telephones with the last few tenants of this house?"

"Yes," Archie answered, nodding at the same time. "I mean, I know what it does. I've just never..."

"Right," Edward said with understanding. "Emmett's right, though. Even if you just use the house phone to call us, you'll need to be able to contact us in an emergency."

Archie took a deep breath and let it out slowly, swallowing nervously. "I hunted today. I think I can handle learning the phone."

"Oh ho! Look who's all cocky now!" Emmett teased, and the whole house exploded into laughter. "Come on, Mr. Know-It-All... We'll use Dad's office phone to teach you," he told him as he, Carlisle, and Jasper all left the room.

I had to bury my giggle into the top of Edward's head as I ran my fingers through his hair. "He's going to be okay, isn't he?" I asked softly, but it seemed everyone else in the room was looking to Edward for the answer.

Edward nodded. "I saw what it was like to see an immortal permanently change today. It's so rare and extremely interesting," he said softly. "It literally was like watching it set in stone in his mind. He just...changed. Once he realized that what had happened before had no bearing on what happens now, he just...got it."

I smiled into Edward's hair, placing a kiss to the top of his head and thinking the man in my arms would certainly know that feeling. I'd seen it happen with my own eyes.

"Well," I sighed dramatically, "it can happen to the best of us."

Edward turned to look at me, though it was a bit awkward the way he was lying with me. He smiled, and it was sweet and warm and a touch shy. "Yeah, sweet girl. It can happen."

~oOo~

"The United States didn't get involved in World War II until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor," Jasper stated. "At that point, we didn't have a choice. In fact, Roosevelt's plea to Congress was the next day. Here...let me play it for you..."

"_Yesterday, December 7, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan..."_

A few of them were downstairs in the dining room with books, laptops, and pictures spread from one end of it to the other. I trudged past them carrying Edward's and my laundry, taking the stairs up to our room at a human pace.

We'd slowly gotten into a routine in the last few days. Just about everyone had something they could teach Archie. Emmett had slowly introduced him to just about every piece of technology in the house, and Archie had accepted it well. He'd already fallen in love with the e-reader that we'd given him and the iPod that I'd put in his room. He didn't show much interest in television, but he liked the radio, despite how strange the music must have sounded to him. He'd hunted once more with Carlisle and seemed to be taking his diet fairly well. He'd even stepped outside to wander the yard all on his own once or twice – though I couldn't blame him because he was in a house with five mated couples. Poor thing.

"_As commander-in-chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense._

"_Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us..."_

I stepped into our room, my mind hearing the speech that Jasper was still playing downstairs. Edward was sitting on our bed with his back propped up on the headboard and my laptop in his lap. His face was solemn as he focused on whatever was on the screen. He was wearing a simple gray T-shirt and black jeans, his legs stretched out and bare feet crossed.

I set the basket down on the bed, kissed the side of my husband's head, and went about putting away our clean clothes. Alice hated that I didn't use vampire speed to do it, but laundry was a soothing, simple chore for me. It always had been.

"_With confidence in our armed forces – with the unbounding determination of our people – we will gain the inevitable triumph...so help us God._

"_I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire..."_

"Dastardly..." I mused over the word. "No one speaks that way anymore. A shame, really."

Edward snorted, and warm, golden eyes gazed up at me over the screen of the laptop. "I do."

I giggled. "You've never used 'dastardly.' Don't even try it."

He grinned, shaking his head, but went back to what he was doing. Though, he spoke softly. "We don't say 'four score and seven years ago,' either, sweet girl."

"True," I said, matching up pairs of socks. "But something in the English language has taken a hideous turn. Okay, so it's easier to say eighty-seven, but when did become okay to call women bitch and 'ho?"

"It's never been okay," Edward countered, wearing a disgusted expression.

"To you... I meant in society, in general. And that's really just a small example. I mean, there are _so many_ messed up terms for things. Booty call? Really?" I rambled, shaking my head at it all.

"What?"

"Booty call..."

"Say it again." He laughed.

"No!" I tossed a balled-up pair of socks at him.

"Just once more," he guffawed.

Narrowing my eyes at him, I snorted. He was too cute to resist sometimes. "Whatever. You know what I mean."

He chuckled. "I do. And you're right...things have severely declined in the ways in which we speak," he said haughtily, making me grin. "If I could permanently remove the word 'like' and 'umm' from the vocabulary of teenage girls, I'd be a happy man. They even think them."

I snorted. "But...like, Edward..." I started, dragging out his name in a higher pitch than my own, and his dark glare was priceless. "I mean...umm, but you're...like totally hot." I made myself want to gag as I hung up jeans and button downs.

"Isabella, stop...it's awful."

"And this one time...at band camp..." I laughed when his low, supposedly threatening growl met my ears. "See? I'm glad you understand me."

That softened his expression into one that made me walk to him. I smiled into the kiss to his lips.

"Yes, baby, I understand," he whispered against my lips, cupping my cheek with one hand.

"What are you so intently studying over there, anyway?" I asked, taking the now-empty hamper into the bathroom.

"Well, I was working on finances, but come here," he ordered, waving me to him. "I'd like your opinion on something."

"Are you buying another car?" I teased, squeaking when he lifted the computer, tugged me down between his legs, and placed the laptop on my lap.

"No," he growled low in my ear. "Hush, beautiful, and tell me which you think would be more helpful for Archie."

I leaned my head against his as he rested his chin on my shoulder. On the computer screen, he had pulled up a list of several different DVD collections. Some were from PBS, and they were about music through the decades – 50s, 60s, 70s.

"Those, definitely," I told him, pointing to the screen. "There's time before and after, but those will help."

"I thought so, too," Edward agreed softly in my ear. "Now," he started, scrolling back a few pages. "What about these?"

I studied the screen, my brow furrowing at some of the subjects he'd chosen – the environment, AIDS, the Kennedy and MLK assassinations, and some more recent histories, like the Gulf War, the end of the cold war, and September 11.

"That's harsh stuff, baby," I whispered, grimacing. "I know he needs to know, but gracious..."

"I know," he sighed, his sweet breath pushing out warmly against my neck. "No one really wants to cover some of this stuff, so I thought he could watch it instead."

"They're all good choices," I told him, turning to kiss his cheek. "Just...not all in one day. Mix in a comedy, will ya?" I teased with a giggle.

"Yes, ma'am," he said with a sweet grin, keeping me on his lap as he added all of the DVDs to his cart and ordered them.

Downstairs, I could hear that Jasper had moved on to explain Normandy, the Allied Forces invasion, and just exactly what Hitler had been doing to people in those concentration camps. My nose wrinkled, but I turned to look at Edward.

"You don't want to talk about that stuff? You and Emmett went," I stated, remembering one of the stories he'd told me a few years ago about working with the French resistance.

"No." He sighed deeply, shaking his head. "I'm okay...right here," he said, quickly doing something on my computer. I felt his smile against my cheek when he pulled up my word processing program.

"What are you..."

"Shh," he interrupted, but he barely made a sound as his arms brushed against mine. He quickly typed, his long fingers dancing over my keyboard. He gave me the silent signal for my shield, and I descended it slowly down on us. "Since we're never alone..." he said, again almost with a sound.

**I wanted to talk to you about the bet against us.**

I laughed, shaking my head and switching to thoughts. _Yeah, yeah... I've trusted you for days. Tell me what you know, handsome._

Edward chuckled, typing out more.

**They don't know about D. E. And they've set themselves up for failure because no one can win or lose unless THE WHOLE FAMILY hears me.**

I snorted at the initials for Dirty Edward. The fact that he even _had_ initials was just hilarious to me._ Yes, I gathered that much, but there is one person that has heard us. Archie was in the house...in his room when we were in the library._

Edward nodded against me but quickly answered me on the screen.

**He was incoherent, my sweet girl. He had no idea. I figured it out the day Kevin told him that he'd scared me, that he'd acted like a ghost. He was so starved that he had no idea about much, and his memory is spotty, at best. I was the same way once. You have a letter from me proving it.**

"No way!" I gasped, gazing over at him, and he nodded fervently.

**I told you to trust me, beautiful. Your secret is perfectly safe. ;)**

The winking emoticon just about caused me to crack the hell up; instead, I sagged against him in relief, which made him wrap his arms around me and give my neck a long, slow, loving kiss.

_Are we dumb for wanting to keep this private? I mean, do they really care?_ I asked him.

"Yes, to both," he said with a soft laugh, reaching for the keyboard again.

**What we are...what we do together is ours and ours alone, baby. I don't want to take that away from you, from us. I've spent years listening to them, hearing secrets, and wishing I hadn't. They hear everything else. We should be able to keep this, despite the teasing. I've heard all that you could possibly imagine. It's no different than foreplay. Would you want to know what steps say...Carlisle and Esme take?**

"Uhh, _no_!" I said firmly.

**Exactly. It's as private as that, though they don't think so, and we can't tell them without revealing everything. They don't know – and we'll keep it that way – that it runs deeper than just words. It's a feeling, a letting go...for us. I know what it means to you, but it means the same for me. It represents just how different I am with you. It's not the words. It's the intimacy level. You understand?**

I smiled and nodded, turning to look up at him. "You're the best," I told him with a laugh.

He grinned, all crooked and sexy, kissed my forehead, and deleted the document on the screen. "Sometimes," he sang, tapping his temple, "it's a perk."

Laughing, I closed the laptop and set it aside, turning around to straddle his lap. Cupping his face, I kissed him roughly. His hands immediately gripped my bottom to pull me closer. He gazed up at me through his long, beautiful eyelashes – eyelashes that I'd heard women envy. His eyes were warm, just a shade darker than amber as they looked up at me.

"I love you," I whispered, brushing my lips across his chin, his mouth, the tip of his nose, and finally, his forehead.

"I love you, too, Bella," he responded instantly.

_I__ know we're needed here, and I get that, honestly, but I'd really like to go somewhere._

"With or without the family?" he verified, his face taking on a serious expression. It always did when I stated that I wanted something.

_Doesn't matter,_ I thought to him, shrugging a shoulder. _But a break from history and vampire therapy would be kind of nice. It's the holidays, Edward...even a trip to the movies would work. I hate to leave Archie, but..._

"Cabin fever, sweet girl?" he asked with a smile. He leaned in to kiss my lips softly, almost reverently.

"Yeah, maybe a little," I admitted reluctantly.

He smiled, nodded, and gave my bottom a soft pop. "I'll see what we can do, okay?"

"Okay." I smiled, but watched as he tilted his head a little. "What?"

He grimaced a little. "I think Archie needs a break from wartime stories," he murmured, setting me on my feet at the side of the bed. When he stood in front of me, he reached up to tuck my hair behind my ear. "You know what you said about mixing in a little comedy?" he asked, chuckling a little, and I nodded. "Yeah...that. Come on. He needs a distraction."

We rumbled down the stairs, but it was Alice that broke into a great big laugh. "Hey, Archie! Ever played football?"

* * *

**A/N... First off...Those are real excerpts from Roosevelt's speech to Congress the day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It's one of the most important and famous presidential speeches in history. I'm a WWII fact nut, so forgive me. AND...I'm totally with Bella on this one. No one speaks or writes like that anymore. The English language has morphed into something that frightens me, really.**

**Now...Archie. I've explained it before, and Edward is the best example, that when vampires change a belief or fall for their mate or even alter their opinion on something, the change is swift and complete. There is no going back. And our little buddy finally did it! ;)**

**The Dirty Edward bet... LOL Let's see... To reveal, or not to reveal? That is the question. I will always say no when asked if I plan to ever settle that bet...or those bets, as the case may be. My reasoning is all in favor of Edward. Poor thing has heard it all, put up with way too much debauchery, and has been doused with lust when all alone for WAY TOO LONG. My heart means to keep our sexy Dirty Edward a secret...if only as revenge against the siblings. ;) LOL However, I've discovered long ago – and as most recently as this chapter – that this Edward and Bella write themselves. So...you never know what may happen. ;)**

**Considering I haven't started Chapter 19 yet, I have no idea if I will write a football game. Technically, Archie would have no clue what that game is. But seeing as how it's Saturday as I write these notes, then there's no telling what I will come up with by Wednesday. And I'm hoping to be on time again this week.**

**No songs to the playlist this week...but that will change soon. :)**

**Okay, if all goes well, I'll see you on Wednesday. Until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N... READ THIS FIRST! Before we start, I wanted to say something. Most of you agree that Dirty Edward should remain secret, that it's theirs and theirs alone. Good. SOME of you like the funny side that it may slip one day. All that's cool, too. However, there were a few of you that took it a little too seriously. Let me explain... Edward and Bella love hiding this side of their relationship just as much as their siblings like teasing them. It's all in fun. If for one second they thought someone was truly offended, all bets would be off. It's not really any different than Emmett teasing Edward about be a virgin for all those years, than everyone teasing Alice about shopping, or the long, never-ending joke that Rose and Emmett still continue to tear up everything around them.**

**There is fun coming from both sides of this situation. Edward is the only vamp in the house that never curses, aside from Esme. THAT is what makes this bet funny to everyone. If Edward can't drop an f-bomb, then how in the world would he ever say cock, pussy, or anything else of that nature? LOL THAT is what they're betting on. Hmm? They have no idea that it's personal, a letting down of walls for him...but that doesn't mean that Edward and Bella can't play on it. If that hasn't come through in my writing, then my apologies. :)**

**Now...on to this chapter. You wanted football, so I gave you a bit of football. Someone was kind enough to remind me that the first game was in 1869 or some shit... I'm not sure Archie would know much about it, considering where they lived, so I played on his innocence.**

**Aaaand...there's a LEMON WARNING, which is completely dedicated to my pre-readers inkedupmom and GooberLou...crazy women that they are. They asked for it, and I gave it to them, but not without throwing in my own fetishes. LMAO... By all means, see for yourself... ;)**

* * *

Chapter 19

**BELLA**

"Oh ho!" Jasper growled excitedly, rubbing his hands together. "You know what would fu—sorry, Mom..._freakin_' rock?" he gushed, looking at us all wild-eyed and grinning.

Edward laughed, his head falling back as he draped an arm around my shoulders. "Oh, nice!" he agreed, though none of the rest of us were in on the joke.

"What?" I asked, looking to my brother.

"Archie would be the _king_ of Capture the Flag!"

He grinned when Emmett hissed a long, slow, "Yes!"

"What's Capture the Flag?" Archie asked as we made our way into the middle of the backyard.

"It's a game," Alice told him. "Two teams each have a flag, and they hide it, usually within a pretty big designated area. Each team designates someone to capture the other team's flag without getting caught."

"Well," Rose chortled, "that's how _we_ play it. And Edward and Jasper have always treated it like _Mission Impossible_. And Edward's so damn fast..." She grinned, shoving her brother, who simply continued to laugh.

"But _you_, dude..." Emmett pointed at Archie, wearing a big grin. "You would rule the game because you would be invisible. It would be a fight for whoever had you on their team. No lie!"

"That's very true," Carlisle agreed with a chuckle. "So...are we playing that or football?"

"Football!" Alice sang, wearing a knowing grin.

"With or without talents?" I asked, giving my husband a big cheesy smile.

"_With_," he growled at me, flicking my nose with the tip of his finger, only to back away wearing a smug smile. "I call captain of one team."

"I'll take the other," Emmett called, standing opposite him. "Mom, flip a coin to see who picks first."

Esme was going to sit out the game in order to leave the teams even. When she flipped the coin, Edward called for heads, leaving Emmett with tails, and Edward won. It took barely a minute for the teams to be set. Edward ended up with Carlisle, Alice, Kevin, and myself. Emmett's team consisted of Rose, Adrian, Jasper, and of course, Archie. The point of the game, the rules, and the scoring were all explained to Archie, who didn't really know the game very well. Once we thought he had the idea down, we lined up to start the game.

"Boy, oh boy," Esme sighed as she took a seat along the side. "This should get pretty ugly. Archie, don't let them get the best of you. Playing with talents..." she muttered the last three words, shaking her head and rolling her eyes.

I grinned, looking to Edward as our team huddled up.

He shot me a wink, whispering to us all. "Oh, Emmett's telling Archie right now that his invisibility is their best chance." He pointed between Alice and me. "You two are _our_ best chance. Carlisle, you're quarterback."

"Got it," Carlisle said with a grin.

We lined up against Emmett's team, and I was across from Jasper.

Grinning at him, I asked, "Are you _sure_ we're using talents?"

"Oh, yeah," he crooned, nodding slowly as he smiled. "It's on, baby girl. Do your worst."

"Okay," I sang, and as soon as Emmett threw the ball to Rose, I spun, shot my shield out to slow her down in order for Edward to catch her, and tackled my biggest brother. "You really should've thought this through, Em."

"Fuck this! You're going down," he threatened, pointing at the lot of us but wearing an evil sneer.

"Emmett!" Esme chided from the sidelines, but he paid her no attention.

I'd never played a game like that one. Ever. Edward had stacked his team with talents he could use well, but Archie had a major advantage over us. The score was extremely high because defense was practically impossible. Alice and Edward could see how someone was coming for them and would counter it in order to score. I couldn't be tackled at all.

Jasper's strategy, Emmett's strength, and Archie's invisibility made for tough opponents. We couldn't tackle what we couldn't see, and combining Jasper's ability to add in confusion, I was left to deal with Archie. I had to hand it to him. He caught onto the game quickly – or he listened to every word my brothers said – and he used his talent wisely. One second, he'd catch the ball; the next, he was standing in the endzone.

We played so long and so hard that Esme finally had to call it a draw because the score was up into the hundreds, not to mention any snow that had been covering the grass was now kicked away. The poor lawn looked like a battlefield.

"Oh my damn," Rose said with a harsh laugh, shaking her head. "Nice job, Arch!" she praised, patting his back. "I'm not sure we've ever played that hard before."

Archie grinned, his eyes alight with happiness as he nodded her way. "That was different. But I like the sound of that other game..."

Edward chuckled. "That's best played at night, Archie," he told him. "I think we can plan that soon."

Esme clapped her hands at us to get our attention. "All of you, go get cleaned up. And try not to dirty my house!" she yelled as we all jogged passed her to the kitchen door. She sighed with exasperation. "Shoes, dammit!"

Conversations raged all over the house from different rooms. Emmett proclaimed that it was Friday night and wanted to know if we were doing anything. Alice and Rose wanted to, but no one would make up their minds. The only thing I heard was my phone alerting me to a message.

I ran upstairs and saw that Charlie had called, so I jumped into the shower quickly to clean up. Just as I was stepping out, Edward walked in, looking highly disappointed that he'd missed showering with me.

Grinning, I kissed his lips. "Sorry, handsome."

He chuckled, wrapped a towel around me, and set me down on the bathmat. "Go call Charlie, love. I'm sure he wants to catch up with you. It's been two weeks."

I nodded, pulled on one of my new sets from Victoria's Secret and a robe, and then called my dad back.

"Hey, Bells," he said with a smile to his voice.

"Hi, Dad. You called?"

"Yeah, just to check in. So how are things?" he asked.

I caught him up quickly about Archie, and Charlie was just as shocked about our friend as we'd been. He told me a few things from back home, one of which Edward would've found interesting – though, I was damn sure my husband could hear, even in the shower.

By the time Edward stepped out of the bathroom with his towel hanging low on his hips, Charlie was teasing us about the football game.

"I tried, Charlie. I swear," Edward called out from across the room.

Giggling, I said, "Yeah, Esme made us call it a draw."

"Damn. I miss watching those games." Charlie chuckled. "Listen, kiddo, the station's calling me. Check in by Thanksgiving, will ya?"

"Sure, Dad," I vowed. "Love you."

"Love you, too."

I tossed the phone onto our bed, looking to Edward, who was running a towel roughly over his wet hair.

"So Mrs. Cope retired, huh?" he asked, wearing a small smile.

"Yeah, that's what Dad said," I sighed, frowning a little at that.

Memories of my first day at Forks High played in my mind as I wandered into the bathroom to brush my hair – signing in, signing out, getting my schedule, seeing Edward ask for another science class, days I'd gone home ill.

"Want to talk about it, love?" Edward asked as he leaned in the bathroom doorway. His eyes were warm and sweet honey, his face an open book, because he knew what I was feeling.

I took a deep breath and shook my head but shrugged at the same time. "Time..." I said simply, grimacing at him a little. "It's hard to wrap my head around sometimes. She didn't seem old enough to retire, but then again..." My voice trailed off because I didn't quite know how to put it. It wasn't completely about Mrs. Cope.

He nodded, pushed away from the door frame, and took my brush from me. "Turn around," he ordered gently. He began to brush my hair, picking up pieces and starting with the ends. just like I'd taught him ages ago. His fingers swept over my scalp in a soothing touch. "I told you once – in a terrible way, mind you – that it didn't matter after a few years into this life, because most everyone you knew would be dead."

I nodded, watching him in the mirror. His eyes were focused onto the task at hand. His bare, broad shoulders, biceps, and forearms all flexed with his movements, but his brow furrowed.

"I'm sorry I said it that way. It was...harsh, but it was one of those times when I feared that you wanted this life, and I wasn't ready to accept it," he sighed, meeting my gaze in the mirror before moving on to the next section of my hair. "Time _is_ hard to wrap your head around. What has seemed like no time for you has really been seven years...more if you count the year with me prior to your change, not to mention you graduated a year prior to that. That's almost ten years since we were at Forks High. You haven't lost anyone yet, but I really fear that day, Bella. You have no idea."

"Yeah, me, too," I said in a small voice, feeling a gentle kiss to the back of my head as I gazed down at my hands. "I'm not...upset. But Mrs. Cope is kind of a puzzle piece in our past. A small one in the background, but she was there. You know?"

Edward smiled softly and sweetly. "Yes, sweet girl. I know."

"Sometimes, I forget that life back there is ticking away," I sighed, locking gazes with him once again. "Did you feel that way? When you were gone?"

Edward turned me around and set me on the bathroom vanity, dropping the brush down beside my leg. He used his fingers to sweep through my hair, finally cupping my face. His face was solemn, but not upset. There was a difference in answering a question and reliving the past. This didn't hurt; I just simply wanted to learn from his experience. That last thought made him smile a little and kiss the tip of my nose.

"Yes and no?" he said, though it came out sounding like a question. "Yes, I knew time was ticking, but in my mind, you were... Well, you were you. You didn't change, you didn't look different, and you still were the same sweet girl I'd met that first day." He sighed, watching his own fingers trail down my cheek to my chin. "However, I'm not sure my own mind didn't do that to keep me sane. The thought that you were changing, moving on, and living – without me – was there, but I couldn't bear to focus on it. Not even for a second."

I nodded, taking his hand and spinning his wedding band. That made sense, and his letters confirmed that very thing. Ten years. Ten years since I'd been out of Forks High. It didn't seem possible, but then again, it did. I'd seen so much, done so much since that time – married, traveled, lived overseas, even fought in a few wars. That last thought made me snort softly, but I looked up to Edward, who simply was giving me the moment.

I wasn't stupid. I was aware that one day, I'd call back home, and it wouldn't be Mrs. Cope retiring, it would be my dad, then Mr. Banner, and finally Jessica. Everyone I ever knew would age – from family to the most insignificant. I was also well aware that eventually, I would have no one to call. It wouldn't be just ten years; it would be twenty, thirty...sixty years. It was a daunting thought and made me feel slightly alone and a little off-kilter.

"Not a chance, Bella," Edward vowed. "You'll never be alone."

"I know," I told him instantly, because I did know. I was damn certain that he'd be there for everything the future threw at us, not to mention the other people in the house that were trying hard to give us privacy – although that was impossible, and that was okay because most of them had been through it.

"Can I ask you a question?" Edward whispered, rubbing the outside of my thigh over my robe. When I nodded, he went on. "Which is harder? Watching your dad age before your eyes, or walking away from your mother completely?"

"Both," I told him honestly, shrugging a shoulder. "Though, I'm not sure I'd trade Charlie for anything."

He smiled and pulled me closer. He smelled like his soap and his usual calming scent. And I couldn't help but reach up with my finger to catch a droplet of water that still clung to the skin of his chest.

"But that also makes me feel responsible for my dad, whereas I'm not for Renee. I don't exist to her," I stated blandly, which caused a small flinch in Edward's face. "I don't have to worry about her – though on some level, I still do – but there's also a touch of freedom with that. With Charlie, I worry about his job, his health, his happiness. Every conversation is important to me, even if it's to tell me Mrs. Cope is retiring to Florida." I shrugged again.

Edward sighed softly, pressing a kiss to my forehead, but then he cupped my face gently before speaking. "You are so strong, my sweet, beautiful girl. And I know that we get distracted and forget how things are changing in the places we've been. Is it Mrs. Cope specifically? Or just time in general?"

"I think it was just Mrs. Cope," I told him, laughing softly, simply because she'd witnessed some of our crazy beginning. "I think we drove her crazy."

Edward grinned. "We did. I know _I _did."

That made me laugh harder. "True... You weren't exactly all gentlemanly when you demanded a new schedule simply because you couldn't deal with the new girl," I teased, rolling my eyes dramatically.

"Well...I mean...there's that, too," he stammered, looking like he'd be blushing if he were able.

I gasped, my mouth hanging open. "Don't tell me! Mrs. Cope?! You were a minor!"

"Which she tried to remind herself of every time she saw me," he replied softly, starting to back away.

"Oh, no...get back here," I commanded, gripping the front of his towel. "Tell me."

"Bella," he whined, looking away from me and sounding like child. "She wasn't lewd. She merely thought..."

"You were handsome," I finished for him, fighting my smile.

Edward's pout was adorable, bordering on pitiful. His brow furrowed, his eyes darkened, and his bottom lip just barely jutted out.

"And too young. She would repeat it in her head," he huffed. "Bella, stop."

I sighed, my hand still gripping the front of his towel, which was now sitting extremely low on his narrow hips. "Oh, Edward..." I smirked up at his silently pleading face not to tease him about this.

My poor Edward had heard it all, and it always made him uncomfortable, except when it came to me. My thoughts, my fantasies, my desires were everything he wanted to hear, but everyone else's were insignificant. I supposed when you saw yourself in someone else's mind repeatedly that it got old, that it eventually became insulting.

Edward grimaced and started to squirm away from me, but I held him still, switching to thoughts.

_Edward Cullen, hold still!_ I growled low to get his attention.

No one could be still like Edward. He froze into a statue-like position, but his eyes were wary as he gazed at me.

_I'm not going to tease you, baby. Just relax,_ I thought to him soothingly, holding him with one and and untying my robe with the other. He didn't have to admit to Mrs. Cope's unusual attraction, but he had. And therefore, I felt he deserved a reward.

A long, low rumble vibrated up out of his chest as his eyes darkened instantly. He'd heard my thoughts and most likely caught a glimpse of green underneath my robe. I used a single finger to push him back one step and slipped down from the vanity. Letting the robe hit the floor, I tilted my head up at him.

Knowing the house was filled with sensitive hearing, I stayed silent, using only my mind. _You really shouldn't be embarrassed, Edward. You can't blame them for being attracted to you. You, yourself, said that it was a part of what we are. It draws them in._

"I don't have to like it," he argued weakly, because his eyes were drinking in emerald green satin and black lace, not to mention cleavage in front of him and exposed cheeks in the mirror.

"But I do," I countered with a grin, starting to walk around him. _Do you have any idea how much it turns me on to watch others want you and you not give a shit?_

His demeanor completely changed with that admission from me. A slow, crooked, carnal smile curled up on his face as he couldn't decide whether to watch me in the mirror or right at his side as I trailed a finger across each pec and down his bicep. I pressed my lips to the round curve of his shoulder, continuing my way to his back.

I pressed another kiss to his spine right between his shoulder blades, only to take a step back. Shaking my head slowly, I wasn't sure that there was a prettier sight on this planet. Edward's back was beautiful, strong, with wide shoulders, narrowing down to his hips. His towel was now so low that I could see the two sweet dimples just above where his ass was covered. The dark blue towel fell just below his knees, giving me a wonderful view of extremely toned calves.

I came up to his other side, brushing his hand away that had been holding the towel, and kissed his other shoulder. This time, I dragged my teeth gently along his skin. I smiled against his flesh when he purred low.

_You have to stay quiet, you know,_ I warned him with a glance to the mirror at the same time that I tugged on his towel. It fell with an almost silent whoosh right next to my robe. His fists balled up at his sides, but he made no movement. Again, he was giving me the moment.

"I don't know if I can," he whispered, his eyes black as the watched me stalk around him.

_Try._

"Bella," was all he said, but I cut him off by locking gazes with him in the bathroom mirror.

Licking my lips at the sight of his erection already standing tall and proud, I took in the complete picture. Backing away just a little, I purred at the sight of his now bare but perfect ass, unbelievably strong thighs, and the flexing of the back of his arms as his hands opened and closed repeatedly.

_Do they look at you the way I do?_ I thought, mainly to myself, but he shook his head no.

"No one has ever looked at me the way you do, love," he replied, still shaking his head.

_Because I see more than what's on the outside?_

"Yes."

_But the outside doesn't hurt,_ I teased, smirking at him as I stepped up to his back again.

He chuckled. "I'm glad you think so," he muttered.

Finally, I gave into my need to just touch. With open hands, digging fingers, and open-mouthed kisses, I touched every inch of his back, spine, and ass. Gliding my hands up his sides, I reveled in ribs, twitching muscles, and low growls. Every time we made love, he worshiped me from head to toe. Every single time. He made me feel beautiful and perfect and sexy. I loved doing the same for him. It wasn't something I always had the opportunity to do, so I was taking advantage.

His arm flinched once, but he stopped himself. Moving to his side, I kissed his flexing bicep, locking gazes with him in the mirror.

"You're killing me," he said, barely making a sound. "I want... I need..."

I grinned because I knew what he wanted...or at least what he had just about done. _Let me see you._

I bit my bottom lip. Hard. I wasn't sure there was a sexier sight than watching Edward's long fingers wrapped around his cock, his forearm flexed as he squeezed himself, and the strain that caused tendons to appear on his neck made him look like a spring winding tighter and tighter.

_Fuck, that's so hot, baby,_ I thought to him, but his growl drew my eyes from the mirror to the reality in front of me. Clenching abs, a heated gaze, and slow, deliberate movements made me moan wantonly.

_What do you think about when you touch yourself, Edward?_

Up, down, squeeze, twist... A thumb swirled over his leaking tip, only to start the process over and over.

"I don't normally have to," he rasped cockily, giving me a sexy-as-hell crooked grin.

"True," I said with a giggle, watching him in the mirror. "But still..."

"You."

_Me,_ I thought slowly, making another circle around him. I came to stand in front of him, leaning in to kiss his chest, and his hand slowed down. _Don't stop, baby... _I warned him, trailing my nose and lips across his collarbone, up his throat, to his sharp, clenching jaw line. _What about me? _I asked, but he stayed quiet. _Tell me, baby. Do you think of fucking my mouth? _I asked, opening my mouth to his neck.

"Yes." It was a long, slow hiss that escaped him, and I nipped at the side of his throat.

_Or my breasts? You think of fucking them?_ I asked, purposefully allowing my chest to brush against his, and I could feel the movement of his hand between us.

"Sometimes," he admitted.

_Or is it my...pussy you think of the most?_

I knew what his reaction would be, so I quickly kissed him when he growled low, "Fff...mmm..."

Smiling into the kiss, I thought, _I'll take that as a yes, handsome._

"Yes," he growled so low against my mouth that my lips vibrated.

_What else, Edward? You think of places? Bedroom, woods...right here in our bathroom? _I asked, inhaling deeply and trying my best to ignore just how wet I was.

His forehead fell to mine as he nodded fervently, his eyes gazing at me heatedly through his long eyelashes, but his hand faltered.

"Baby, please," he begged, his free hand slipping into my hair at the base of my neck.

I stepped back just enough to watch him, my back meeting the vanity's edge. Bending my arms behind me, I unhooked my bra and pulled it away, only to slip my underwear down and step out of them.

_Don't stop, Edward,_ I warned him again as I sat myself on the bathroom counter. His eyes failed him, and they dropped down to the apex of my legs. _Yes, baby...I'm wet for you. I'm always wet for you. You don't even need to ask._

"Show me," he growled low through gritted teeth. When I spread my legs, he shook his head, his brow furrowing. "Wider, love," he mouthed to me, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip while his hand still worked over his steel-hard shaft.

Placing my heels on the edge of the vanity, I spread my legs as wide as I could, thinking, _Come here._

Edward moved swiftly, letting go of his cock and stepping forward. His grasped my ankles, only to spread my legs just a touch wider before he stepped between them. The expression on his face was feral and sexy, hungry, and absolutely beautiful as he pressed his forehead to mine again.

Reaching between us, I guided him to my entrance, my eyes never breaking away from his. With a slow push of his hips, he sank languidly inside of me, causing an amazing sound to erupt from the two of us. It was contentment of becoming one, it was a whimper for more, and it was a low growl of possession.

_Mine,_ I thought, more to myself than to him, but Edward nodded, a dirty, wicked smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. _We have to be so quiet, or they'll win that God-forsaken bet, Edward, _I thought to him with a small smile as one of my hands snaked back to his ass to pull him in deeper while the other slipped up to his neck.

Edward held perfectly still, but he nodded again. "I know."

We didn't move for almost a solid minute, letting the need build and build until I thought I'd go crazy. I wanted to kiss him, eat him alive, really, but discretion was important. I couldn't imagine what the rest of the house was up to because I couldn't see past the gorgeous man in my arms.

"Fuck them," he mouthed to me with an almost angry glare.

_I'd rather fuck you_, I countered, my mind coming across snarky and sassy.

That was all it took to break the suspense that we'd been building. Edward grinned briefly before his head turned slightly. His lips met mine at the same time he pulled slowly back, only to slam back in. Our kiss muffled the sound we made.

Hooking his arms under my knees in order to keep me spread open for him, Edward braced his hands on the vanity. He swiveled his hips, knowing exactly where to hit me to bring me closer and closer to my climax, though it wasn't going to take much. I kissed him that much harder to keep down the sounds that threatened to bubble up out of me. In fact, it was only incoherent, nonsensical sounds. Words were lost. Just gone. It was soft grunts, long hisses, and the echo of flesh meeting flesh. Our breathing was ragged, our kisses messy and deep, but our rhythm was perfectly in sync.

There was a part of me that was aware that we could in all reality destroy that brand new bathroom. I made sure my hands stayed on my husband's body and nowhere near glass, tile, or mirror. His hands alone were already starting to make the tiles shift beneath them.

_Edward, pick me up, _I ordered, not only to save the counter, but to feel his hands, his strong grip on me.

Suddenly, his hands were on my ass, and my back met the doorway. His lips broke away from mine, only to travel to my ear.

"Now, now, now..." he begged almost with no sound at all.

Gripping his hair with one hand and slithering the other down between us, I touched myself. My mouth hung open as the coil in my stomach wound tighter and tighter, but when Edward's teeth met the sensitive skin behind my ear, I shattered, practically sucking all the oxygen out of the bathroom.

Edward buried his face into my neck as he thrust once, twice, three times before coming hard, his whole body shuddering with the force of it. He breathed heavily against my skin, but I felt a smile against me.

Pulling his face back so that I could look at him, I wrinkled my brow. "What?"

"Listen," he whispered, and I froze, a grin crawling up my face.

Not only was our family impatient to find out what we were doing tonight, but our lust had kicked just about everyone else into overdrive. But what I could hear most was the denial that any bets were proven. Edward hadn't said a word, nor could they prove that he'd _almost_ said anything.

"They really need a life," I said aloud, looking up at my husband. "Seriously. Or you and I are going to start making ridiculous bets on their lives. I'm not kidding."

Edward laughed, kissed me quickly. "Whatever you want, my love."

Protests rang out, mostly having to do with Edward's mind reading and how unfair that would be. I simply rolled my eyes. Edward, however, gave them no attention whatsoever and walked me into our bedroom, where he sat down on the edge of the bed, keeping me on his lap.

"They want to go out – or at least everyone but the parents. But I need to know if you're okay...first and foremost, Bella," he stated, his now-warm honey eyes drinking in every inch of my face.

"Where are we going?"

"Answer my question first, please, love," he practically begged.

"I'm okay." I took a deep breath and let it out, but I nodded to him. "I am. I promise. I know time won't stop. I'm just glad you're with me to help me adjust, you know?" I cupped his face, thinking that I'd never survive with out him. He was my rock, and I was his. "It was just...a surprise, despite how minor it may be. It's easy to overlook everything but what's right in front of your face."

He smiled sweetly at my thoughts and my words, but it fell just as quickly as it appeared. "One day—"

"I know," I cut him off, pressing a finger to his lips. "And we'll deal with it. I won't like it, but it's inevitable, right?"

His nose wrinkled in answer, but his worry was a waste of emotion because despite how hard it would be when I truly started to see evidence of time taking over, I was convinced that the arms that held me now would get me through then, too.

He sighed deeply, running his fingers gently through my hair. "I never want you to have regrets, nor can I stand the mere idea of something hurting you."

With that said, I curled into him, wrapping my arms around him and burying my nose in the crook of his neck. "I love you," I told him in reply. "And I'll never regret you, Edward. It's impossible."

Would it hurt when I started to lose everyone I knew, everyone that I'd ever loved? Absolutely. But losing Renee or Charlie...or even Jake was something that I couldn't stop. Ever. A child was supposed to outlive their parents anyway. At least, that's how I rationalized it. Death was a part of life...their lives. But I knew that Edward would do everything he could to get me through it all.

Wrapping warm, strong arms all the way around me, Edward pressed a kiss to my shoulder. "I'm glad you know that, love. And if you're okay with it, everyone wants to go to the movies," he murmured softly against my skin.

Nodding into his neck, I said, "That sounds fun."

"Good," he sighed in relief, smiling at me when he pulled me back to face him. He popped my butt lightly. "Then let's get dressed, hmm?"

"What movie?" Kevin asked from somewhere downstairs, and I rolled my eyes up to Edward's when several debates broke out over what to see – horror, action, romance, comedy.

I snorted and extricated myself from Edward's embrace as he broke out into a soft laugh. "And...here we go."

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

As I disposed of my kill, I stood up, allowing my hearing and my mind search out around me. Somewhere off to my left, I heard the soft thump of Bella taking down her own kill – a thought that made me smile. But it was who was with us that I was searching for.

Archie had progressed by leaps and bounds. It had been a week since he'd stepped out of the house, a week since he'd hunted for himself for the first time. I heard nothing as I sought him out, but I was starting to understand that was just how he hunted. Archie used what made him comfortable, and being invisible to his prey made him the most lethal hunter I'd ever seen. If he ever changed his mind about his diet, his human targets wouldn't stand a chance, and they'd never even know what hit them.

That was a sobering thought as I sat down near the edge of the small creek where we all had promised to meet back. Our coats were in a pile off to the side so that we could hunt freely. Snow was all around me, and even the creek had a thin layer of ice near the banks.

Tossing a small pebble into the water, I thought of what Carlisle had told me when we discovered what the voices in my head really were. He'd told me that with powerful talents came great responsibility. I'd always seen my mind reading as just something that made me more dangerous because I could tell my human prey exactly what they'd wanted to hear in order to steal them away. However, after having watched Archie hunt a few times, I was damn sure that he had me beat.

I made a mental note to speak to him about that, but I'd seen his mind, knew what he believed. His personality was mild and kind and respectful. He didn't want to hurt humans – although, he hadn't been around any in a little over ten years, except for the realtor, Mrs. Delap. And how he didn't drain her, even with the rest of us in there with him, I'd never understand; then again, Archie was way stronger than he'd ever know.

I smelled freesias and strawberries off to my left. Bella's mind was shielded, but my chest swelled with the feel of her getting closer. Normally, she'd alert me to her presence, so I knew she was up to no good.

"It won't work, sweet girl," I warned her with a chuckle.

"Dammit!" she huffed. "I knew I was upwind."

I laughed, my head falling back, but turned to watch her approach. How something so beautiful, so sweet could be mine, I'd never understand, but I was a grateful man, nonetheless. Even in jeans and a simple cream-colored sweater, she was the most stunning thing. And she was pouting adorably as she drew near, her ponytail swinging in dramatic sways as she scoffed at me.

"I was going to force a snow angel out of you," she said with a giggle.

Still chuckling, I opened my arms for her. Just as she fell into them, I spun her quickly into an embankment of snow. She squealed into hysterics, gripping the sleeves of my sweater.

"You make them prettier," I growled low at her, unable to keep the grin off my face, especially when she was laughing, smiling, and gazing up at me like I was the only thing that ever mattered. I loved that she had hardly a care in the world, that she was completely satisfied with this life. "This is what you get for trying to sneak up on a man, my love..."

She went limp with her laughter, allowing me to move her arms and legs for her, creating a rather disheveled-looking snow angel.

When she got up, she snorted and raised an eyebrow at me. "He's got serious problems."

My nose wrinkled as I nodded in agreement. "He does look...deformed. It kind of resembles...Quasimodo."

"Oh, damn..." she sighed, grimacing adorably. "You're right. Where's Esmeralda when you need her?"

Grinning, I tugged her down to my lap crossways. "If we're back to Disney movies and you call me Beast again, Bella..."

She giggled, cupping my face. "But you're _my_ Beast."

I tried to look stern, but I couldn't. I failed miserably under her touch, beneath her warm gaze. "Yes...yes, I am." I kissed her lips, smiling against them. Sighing, I pulled back a little. "Where's Archie?"

"Not far," she said, pointing behind me. "He was just finishing when I was tracking you. The way he hunts is..." She shook her head, wearing a small smile. "Just...wow. The moose just fell over!"

I grinned. "I know, it's interesting. They can't see him or hear him, but I think they can sense him anyway."

"I mean, one second, the moose is eating what grass he can find. The next, he's on his side, and Archie's draining him," she gushed. "It's so strange."

Snickering at her excitement, I kissed her again, but heard Archie behind us.

_I hate interrupting..._ he thought, more to himself than me.

"You're not," I told him with a smile.

His thoughts argued, because he saw how I looked at Bella, how lost I was to her, but he nodded, sitting down across from us. I wanted to laugh, but I didn't. I'd been that fifth wheel, so I knew how uncomfortable it was to be in the presence of a couple that just could not help themselves in showing their affection. He simply wanted to be respectful; funnily enough, he wasn't as discouraged as I had once been.

"How'd it go?" I asked, ignoring his train of thought, and from the wry smile he gave me, he knew it.

"Okay," he said softly, his eyes falling to Bella as she situated herself between my legs, her back to my chest.

"Just okay?" she asked, making a rather small snowball to toss into the creek.

"Yeah," he said slowly, watching her toss another one. "I think I'm getting the hang of it."

I kissed the top of Bella's head, playing with her ponytail to knock some of the snow out of it, but I turned to Archie. "This is the farthest you've been from the house."

"I'm so glad to get out," he said with laugh and a slow shake of his head. "I didn't realize... I mean, the air alone is better."

Bella laughed a little, but didn't say anything, continuing her game. Without being able to hear her thoughts, I had no idea what her goal was, but it seemed she was aiming for the thin ice layers to chip them off into the water.

"Do you think... I mean," he sighed, his nose wrinkling a little, but I heard his thoughts.

"You aren't a burden, Archie," I stated firmly. "We'll help you as long as you need us to, but yes, Carlisle would like someone with you when you hunt – at least until we know how you'll react to humans."

Bella stopped throwing and gazed over at him. "I can help you with that, you know."

I nodded in agreement and explained to Archie how her shield could slowly introduce the scents of humans back to him. Bella and I used Jasper as an example and how she'd slowly helped him ease into school better than before Bella had come along.

Suddenly, Archie was all for it. "Can we try?" he asked, looking between us.

Bella bent back to look at me upside down, and I kissed her forehead as she said, "I'm okay with it. We're not far from a small town."

"You want to take him into town full of people?" I verified.

"No, maybe just outside it at first," she said, abandoning her last snowball and brushing off her hands. "There might be a house or a store or something just on the edge. We can start there." Her mind then opened up to me. _That way, if something does go wrong, then I can shield him and get him out of there. No harm done._

Frowning at the idea, I thought about it. Archie was strong, and I completely trusted Bella's shield, but I wasn't sure if Archie was ready to be around humans. He'd only been on our diet for a week. They waited for me to answer, and Bella was willing to concede this decision to me, but she was offering to try.

My phone bleeped a text alert, and Bella laughed. "I have a feeling you'll have your answer from Alice."

Snorting, I nodded, pulling out my phone.

**A: Go for it! You'll be surprised how it turns out. ;)**

"Well, hell, Alice," I groaned aloud, rolling my eyes. "Is that good or bad?"

Bella laughed, snatching my phone out of my hands. "It's good, silly. If it were bad, she'd tell you straight up not to do it, and you know it."

Archie's excitement was palpable, and now that he was learning, trying new things, and discovering the world around him, he was willing to do just about anything, but I didn't want him to get careless.

"Fine," I sighed, but I pointed a finger at him. "But before we go anywhere, I want to talk to you."

Archie nodded, his eyes wide and trusting.

"First, if we tell you to do something, I need your word you'll do it," I told him firmly. "Also, if you feel the least bit uncomfortable or your thirst gets the better of you, you need to actually tell us. You'll be beneath Bella's shield, so I won't be able to hear your thoughts, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed immediately.

"Lastly," I sighed, grimacing a little, "I'd prefer if you stayed visible, even with Bella's shield. You have no idea what capabilities you have with that talent. If something happens and bloodlust takes over, then you could cause serious damage. Understand?"

Bella tsked, rolling her eyes. "What Mr. Bossy is trying to avoid is anyone getting hurt or becoming suspicious, Archie. But you haven't interacted with humans. Like..._ever_. You have to be very careful if we're seen."

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "I'm not being bossy..."

"You're being careful, Edward. We know," Bella finished firmly for me, though her voice was soothing and sweet. Her smile was that much sweeter when she stood up and tugged me up. "We'll follow you, handsome."

Damn, I could tell her no to nothing. Ever. And from the smirk on her beautiful face, she knew it.

"Okay," I finally surrendered, bending down to grab her jacket. "Might as well look like we were hiking or something."

Bella tugged her hair down, slipped on her dark blue jacket, and pulled a wool cap that matched her sweater down over her head. Deep, innocent brown eyes blinked up at me, and she smiled as she gestured that she was ready.

"Dangerous creature," I muttered, rolling my eyes at just how adorable she was and how badly I suddenly wanted to kiss her stupid.

Archie put on his own jacket, and once we were all dressed the way we should be in the eyes of humans, I led them a little toward the northwest.

The subtle murmurs of human minds started to reach me just outside of the small town Bella had mentioned.

I came to a stop and turned to her. "Better shield him now."

Bella nodded, turned to Archie, and grasped ahold of his shoulders. "Ready?" she asked, and he nodded. "And you're sure you want to try this? Because even with my shield, you'll still see them and hear their heartbeats. It can still be...tempting."

She was so patient with him, and he noted it mentally every time.

"I'm sure," he answered her. "And I trust you both."

Nodding once, I waited until both of their thoughts disappeared from my mind before moving in closer to the town. I had remembered seeing a small recreational park on a map when we were studying the Maine area before opting to move. That was the destination for which I was aiming. It was an overcast day, but the air wasn't too sharp, and the snow would make for good skiing and tobogganing. The only worry I had was that would also mean children. My jaw clenched at the thought of something going wrong, but I put my trust in my talented girl.

We neared the edge of the park, and squeals and laughter rang out around us. I stopped at the last line of trees, listening and inhaling everything I could. The heavy scent of humans met my nose, causing a touch of fire to lick at my throat, but it was easily ignored. Well, easy for me; I wasn't so sure about Archie.

Scanning the layout, I noted parents with small children over on a small hill. There were a few snowball fights, a snowman under construction, and a few fires in barrels scattered throughout some benches and tables. If this went the way it should, the three of us could take over a table. We'd look like any other teenagers in the park, because I noticed that there were a few groups here and there.

Turning to the two behind me, I raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

Archie's eyes took in everything – every child, every parent, every teen. He saw the cars off in the distant parking lot, the fires that some humans were standing near, and he visibly flinched at the sounds of laughter, screams, and heartbeats.

"It's a lot to take in," I said, a warning tone to my voice, but he seemed to be all right at the moment. "We can stay right here...just to give you an idea."

"Or?" he asked, looking up at me.

"Or... We can take that closest table...act the part, test your limits," I told him, pointing to an empty picnic table just three yards away.

Bella waited patiently for him to decide, her face so sweet and calm. Even without her thoughts, I could see she was up for whatever we decided. She didn't care. She'd continue to shield him, or she'd snatch him up out of there at the first word from me.

Archie took a deep breath, giving the park a peek from around me. Looking to me, he nodded. "Let's try."

Bella grinned, gazing up at me. I shot her a wink.

"Okay. Bella, take that table, and I'll go get something to start a fire in the barrel next to it," I told her.

"Gotcha," she responded.

She took his hand, guiding him at human pace. She whispered softly to him to maintain his speed, his movements, and his blinking. It honestly wasn't easy pretending, though after a few years, it became habit. Bella was truly a natural at it, having some of her human traits carry over into this life. She fidgeted, played with my ring, blinked, and moved slowly just like she should, though it was really just Bella being...Bella.

Once I saw them push some of the snow off the table and onto the ground, I made my way to the closest set of people.

As I approached a woman who looked to be in her mid- to late-thirties to ask if I could borrow her matches, Bella explained to Archie how my control was better than anyone else's...almost as good as Carlisle's. I wanted to roll my eyes, but I had to focus on the woman in front of me.

"Excuse me," I said, smiling softly as the woman glanced up at me. "I was wondering if we could borrow your matches." I pointed toward Bella and Archie at the next table over.

Ignoring the woman's curious thoughts about my age, where I'd come from, and how I looked, I waited patiently for her mind to catch up. My face, my jeans, and my hair all clouded the woman's mind. The only thing she couldn't wait to see was my ass.

"Umm...I'm sorry. What?" she sputtered.

When Bella burst into hysterics, I growled low, shooting a glare over my shoulder.

"Matches," I stated again, pointing to the box in front her. "My girlfriend wants a fire. She's _cold_," I explained unnecessarily to her, but it shut Bella up.

"Oh, sure, here," the woman gushed, her face tinging pink at her own decision that I was officially way too young to be ogled. She handed the book over, saying, "Keep them."

However, my assumed age didn't stop her from finally watching my ass when I thanked her and walked away. I narrowed my eyes at Bella as she quickly and quietly explained to Archie that it wasn't fair that it was a woman that I'd had to approach.

"If the word 'dazzle' comes out of your mouth, you're in serious trouble, Isabella," I growled low, grinning when she laughed again, covering her face with her hands.

Archie glanced between us, his face clearly showing his amusement.

I lit a match, tossing it into the metal barrel, and then finally took a seat next to my smirking girl when it took on a decent life of its own. Orange flames flickered up and out the top, warming the surrounding area just a little.

Bella giggled up at me and then turned to Archie. "Edward won't admit it, but he totally uses his..._assets_ to schmooze the humans. Always."

I sighed when they both laughed, fighting my smile. Unfortunately, she was right on both counts. I did tend to be whatever the situation called for when I needed to address humans, but I'd never admit it, especially when she was so amused by it.

"You," I growled in her ear. "You think you're funny."

She shrugged, biting her bottom lip, and then she must have slipped her shield off herself because she leaned into me. I kissed the side of her head before turning to Archie.

"You look nervous."

"Oh right, you can't hear me," he whispered, his brow furrowing as he glanced around.

"No, not at all. Bella's allowing my mind the freedom to hear around us, but it keeps you silent to me."

"How do they not know? How aren't they all scared?" he asked me, gesturing to the activities that continued to play out around us.

I took a deep breath before answering him. "We look no different than that group right over there," I started, because this was a complicated answer. I jerked my chin off to the right, where a handful of high school age kids were laughing and joking around. "We're giving off a natural repellant, though. I'm not quite sure anyone would dare approach us, but it's not impossible that they'd try. Humans want to believe the facade. They aren't quite sure why we make them uneasy, but it usually keeps them away. We could probably sit here for hours just talking, and no one would notice.

"Your only downfall right now is your eyes," I continued, locking gazes with him. His eyes were still nowhere near amber, considering he hadn't been drinking from animals for too long. "If a human happened to look you in the eye – which is rare – then they'd immediately be able to tell something was off. We're far enough away from people now for them not to notice."

Archie nodded, looking between me and Bella, thinking Bella had the biggest advantage as far as that went.

"Yeah, definitely," I agreed with a nod. "Bella's eyes let her blend in completely. And her natural ease with humans makes her almost undetectable." I huffed a laugh, shaking my head. "The downside of that is that humans react oppositely to her. They're drawn to her."

"It doesn't help that our looks attract curious glances," Bella piped up. "I mean...all teasing aside, you saw how the woman reacted to Edward. It happens to all of us. They find us attractive. It's part of our...abilities to hunt, but when you don't hunt humans, it's really just...uncomfortable."

Grinning, I picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles, simply because she was saying that just as a boy across the way was ogling her. My kiss, my touch claimed her properly, causing the boy to turn away when I looked over.

"Can you hear them all?" Archie asked, shifting a little.

"I can," I answered with a nod. "And I have to in this case because I need to make sure no one is going to approach us or see anything they shouldn't." To prove my point, I started clockwise in the park. "That mother over there thinks it's time to head home because her little girl is tired. The couple in the far back... They're talking about moving to Delaware to be closer to his parents, but _she_ doesn't want to. The older kids... They want to celebrate because the young man with the blond hair just lost his virginity the night before." I grinned when Bella snorted softly. "Let's see," I sighed. "The woman I got the matches from is making sure that her little boy is keeping his hat and gloves on as he plays in the snow just over there."

"Christ," Archie breathed. "All of that? You hear all of it?"

"And then some," I said with a chuckle, shrugging a shoulder. "That's only a portion I focused on. You wouldn't believe how...vile some thoughts can be. Sex, money, drugs – how to achieve all three. Jealousy, rage, curiosity...it's in every thought. And it's all going on up here as we speak." I tapped my temple, grimacing a little.

"But not the kids...the little guys," Bella said, but it sounded more like a question. Her thoughts were running memories of my time in London working in the hospital. She'd seen how easy it was on my mind to be around Toby and Danielle – children in general, really.

"No," I said with a true smile. "If I could block everyone out and listen to them, it would be great. The snowman over there?" I pointed to the group of kids that ranged in ages five to about eleven. "They're thinking in colors and emotions and pictures. As they build him, it's Frosty the Snowman; they only wished they had the magic top hat. That tiny little girl in the pink? She's hoping Santa brings her a bike this year because her mom said she's tall enough now."

"Aww... Oh, my goodness," Bella swooned, her brow furrowing.

I laughed softly, wrapping an arm around her. I glanced back to Archie. "It's easier here," I told him, pointing to the top of the table. "Conversing with them, standing in line at stores, large crowds, even just stopping for gas...the humans can be unpredictable. They make sudden movements, they smell enticing – no matter how long you've been on this diet – and their attraction sometimes overrides everything else, so they flirt or reach out to touch. It can be overwhelming, in all honesty."

Bella linked our fingers together. "Archie, tell me how you're doing."

He licked his lips nervously and then swallowed. "I can... I can hear heartbeats everywhere – fast, slow, rapid, heavy, light." He glanced over at us, and Bella and I nodded for him to continue. "I don't think one person has actually met my eyes, which shocks me. I didn't realize that's how it would be."

"Is it too much? Should we go?" I offered, and he nodded.

"It's not that it's too much," he sighed, frowning a little. "But you're right...it's a lot to take in."

Bella and I nodded, standing up when he did.

Just as we got inside the treeline, without one human noticing our exit, I felt Bella's shield surround me, and all the voices in my head aside from the two of theirs disappeared. I placed a hand on Archie's shoulder and said, "You did really well. I'm surprised at how well you did, actually. I think I'm underestimating you."

"Thanks," he said softly, but he turned to Bella. "Take it down...just for a second."

"Oh, Arch...I don't know, buddy..." she gasped, shaking her head as she glanced up to me.

He'd proven himself to me time and time again, so I was willing to concede this one to her.

"Bella, wrap your shield around his body only," I told her, placing a stronger hold on his shoulder. "Hold him, but let him smell. He should know his limits. If this is too much, then you'll hold him."

"Okay." She stepped in front of him as a precaution, I was sure of it. "Archie, hold your breath. Ready?"

Archie nodded, and she pulled her shield away from his mind, but he jerked a little under my grasp as she locked him down completely.

"Breathe. Slowly, at first," I instructed him in his ear, and he nodded, looking like a deer in headlights.

He took one tentative breath and let it out. His eyes blackened at first, and his hands closed into fists, but he took another breath and then another.

"My throat," he rasped, looking up to me.

"Yeah, that's normal. It burns. I hate to tell you, but that'll always happen. Sometimes worse than others, but it'll be unbearable if you haven't fed enough. For a while, you'll really want to overfeed if you know you're going near them," I advised.

"How long is awhile?" he asked, trying to swallow down the venom.

"Years, sweetie," Bella told him, grimacing a little. "Kevin is a year old, and he's just now able to really be around them. But you..." She poked him playfully in the chest. "You've spent your whole life abstaining. This...this should be nothing. You've fed today. You're comfortable with us, so there's no need to be nervous. And I know you don't want to hurt anyone."

I fought my smile because she was building his confidence by just telling him the truth.

"No, never...I've done enough of that," he replied in a whisper, but he inhaled again, his thoughts focused on what she'd said. He'd practically starved, so this was easier than he'd assumed.

"Now you've got it." I chuckled, giving his shoulder a shake. "Maybe Bella's right... Maybe we should sign you up for school."

"No!" he gasped, grinning when I barked out a laugh.

Bella giggled, helping me guide Archie farther into the woods. She was leaving his senses open for a reason – to let him see how far he needed to go to get away from the scent of human blood.

"Come on. We'll run now, okay?" Bella suggested.

"We'll get clear of the smell," I told him as we took off at a fast run. "But you really did an amazing job."

Bella smiled and nodded, her thoughts so very proud of him. "Now...let's talk about Thanksgiving. Ever played Truth or Dare?"

* * *

**A/N... Ah, yes... Archie's testing himself in every way he can. He's doing awesome, right?**

**And yes, Truth or Dare plays a MAJOR role in the next chapter. It's almost done, and it's a lot of fun. So yeah, Thanksgiving will fall the week of...well, Thanksgiving. You know, I wasn't planning this fic out that way, but it's falling pretty well. However, time may fly forward a bit soon.**

**For those that have read anything else I've written – **cough** Mercward **cough** – then you'll recognize the ummm...significance of the mirror. Again, totally my pre-readers' fault. They asked, I gave, but not without tossing in my love for Rob's back. LMAO Oh damn, I have serious issues... O_o**

**No songs again this week, but that will change. As did my outline for this fic. This may run closer to 30 chapters than 25, and you can totally thank JenRar for that because we rearranged...EVERYTHING. :D So yeah, there's that.**

**Okay, so this was a pretty big chapter...Archie tested himself around humans, and he uses his invisibility to hunt. I thought that was pretty cool. Anyway, the next chapter will post Sunday...yeah BD2 opening weekend. I'm sure I'll get lost in the shuffle, but nevertheless... Let me know what you think. Until next time... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N... I know it's opening weekend for BD2, so I'm well aware that everyone is busy, but I'm posting this on Sunday for you anyway. This is also...Thanksgiving. ;) Which means...Truth or Dare!**

**PLEASE READ... This was BY FAR the most fun I've ever had writing a chapter. This is all done in fun. And I mean no disrespect to people in the fast food industry...I worked it all through college, but this was... Well, you'll see. ALSO...I'm afraid most of my American friends will have to suspend reality for this chapter because I'm well aware that most restaurants aren't open on Thanksgiving Day. So just...ignore it. LOL ;)**

**I'll let you get on with it. Enjoy... ;)**

* * *

Chapter 20

**BELLA**

"New rules!" Jasper called from downstairs. "Everyone is playing this year – _ahem_, Mom and Dad – so there's no excuse! Let's go!"

Giggling into the phone, I said, "I gotta go, Dad. Give everyone hugs from us, okay?"

"Kick ass and take names, kiddo," he said with a chuckle. "One day, I'll have to watch this tradition."

"Oh, hell...it's all sorts of twisted and wrong, Dad. You really shouldn't," I warned him with a groan. "Did I ever tell you what Emmett made with snowmen?"

"Isabella Marie!" Esme growled. "Don't you dare!"

I covered my mouth to stifle my laugh because it had been a replica of Carlisle and Esme in a compromising position that Emmett had formed out of snow. He'd dressed them up in Carlisle's doctor coat and Esme's clothes. If a vampire could have an aneurysm, then Esme came damn close that day.

"Damn, she middle-named me," I huffed, smiling at my father's laughter over the phone.

"Go, Bells. Have a happy Thanksgiving. Check in next week, will ya?" Dad's amusement was loud and clear, but I told him that I'd call him, that I loved him, and then ended the call.

I tossed my phone onto the bed, shaking my head at the almost palpable feelings of excitement that were running through the house. I knew that Jasper was most likely feeding it, but there was something so damn lighthearted about this tradition. It went against the grain with what most people knew of the Cullens. I certainly hadn't ever imagined that they had played this sort of game when I'd been brought over by Edward that first Thanksgiving.

Truth or Dare.

I snorted at the thought, chuckling when I heard furniture being shifted around in the living room. Since there were so many of us this year, it had been decided that we'd all sit on the floor.

"Ready?" Edward asked from our bedroom doorway.

"Never." I grinned and squeaked when he was instantly in front of me, tossing me over his shoulder.

"Too bad, sweet girl," he teased with a laugh, popping me on the butt.

The living room was a din of happy, excited chatter as Edward dropped me down onto a pillow, only to take the one next to mine.

"How's Charlie, sweetheart?" Esme asked me.

"Scared for his life," I told her. "Apparently, Jake's got it in his head to deep fry a turkey this year, so Dad's afraid the whole reservation will go up in flames."

The room filled with laughter as most of us took our places in the center of the room by the fireplace. The only one missing was Carlisle.

"Anna told him he has to do it on First Beach. You know...close to the water," I continued, shaking my head. "And she's already warned the closest fire station."

"Oh, damn," Edward said, chuckling and shaking his head. "Didn't he test it? You know...with water? You fill it up with water first and drop the turkey in. If it overflows, then you know to adjust the level."

"One can only hope," I stated firmly, shrugging a shoulder.

The laughter settled down a bit when Carlisle walked in on his phone.

"No, Demitri, I completely understand," he stated with a nod, locking gazes with Edward for a brief second.

"I'll let you know when Marcus arrives stateside, then," Demitri told him. "Tell everyone hello, and give the girls my love..."

"Hey, Demitri..." Rose, Alice, and I all sang in unison.

Demitri's deep, full laugh could be heard loud and clear. "My girls," he crooned in his thick Italian accent when Carlisle turned the speakerphone on with a grin. "You give those boys hell today. I'm sorry we're missing it. Best holiday tradition I've ever witnessed."

"We will," Alice and I vowed.

I pointed to the phone. "I bet he'd kill us all with the stuff he could come up with," I mused to Rose.

"No shit," she snorted with a nod.

When Carlisle ended his call and sat down next to Esme, he sighed deeply. "It seems D.C. was a bigger problem than Demitri anticipated. They're bringing in Marcus as a precaution, but they think they've cleared everything up."

I frowned, looking to Edward, who was studying Carlisle intently.

"So it wasn't a human causing the problem," he surmised in a soft tone. "Was it just the one?"

"So it would seem," Carlisle replied, nodding once to Edward. "Bringing Marcus in is merely a formality. If there are any more, then it will be swiftly taken care of." Carlisle smiled brightly. "However, Marcus does want to see us, so I suspect he'll visit before the year is out."

"Excellent," Emmett hissed with a grin, nudging a quiet Archie next to him. "Bet he's comin' to see you, bud."

Archie looked wide-eyed and nervous about that as he glanced up at Emmett and then to Edward.

Edward chuckled. "No worries. Marcus is well aware of your situation. He's probably interested in seeing your talent for himself more than anything. He's not one to demand or punish unnecessarily. You've done nothing wrong, Archie."

I nodded in agreement because that part was completely true. Marcus was totally fair and just as curious as Carlisle was about talents and different immortals. He also kept a pretty open door policy, which was the opposite of his brothers. He encouraged immortals to visit Volterra, and he'd always told us that any member of the Cullen family was welcomed at any time.

"The plus side of that," Adrian added, and we all turned to listen to him, "is that Marcus can answer a lot of questions you might have. He's seen it all."

Kevin nodded. "That's true. And his own talent is pretty awesome. He can see the connections between people...see how strong their relationships are. In other words, he'll know where your loyalties lie just by looking at you."

Archie's eyebrows shot up. "That's...interesting."

"You can go all invisible, and you're sayin' _that's_ interesting?" Emmett teased him. "Pshaw! The grass is always greener on the other side, isn't it?" he muttered to no one in particular.

"Well...no," Archie countered with a grin and a shake to his head. "I meant that it would be interesting to see what that looked like."

"Colors," Edward answered immediately, taking my hand in his and linking our fingers together. "Bright colors that connect each mated couple...and then each couple to Carlisle. This particular room looks like a very bright spiderweb to him."

Archie grinned and turned to Emmett. "See? Interesting."

I buried my giggle into Edward's shoulder, feeling his own laughing kiss to the top of my head. Archie had truly started to blossom in the last few weeks. And because there wasn't one of us in the house that was afraid to tease, answer sarcastically, or give someone hell, then he was really starting to blend in. He had a subtle sense of humor, an easygoing personality, and now that he'd been feeding regularly on the blood of animals, his eyes were a dark, dark amber with a hint of red still swirling in there. Carlisle explained to him that it would take several weeks of maintaining the same diet for his eyes to turn the soft gold like everyone else's.

"Okay, family meeting over?" Jasper asked, giving Carlisle an impatient look.

"I have a feeling I'm really going to regret this," Carlisle muttered, rolling his eyes and waving Jasper on.

"Good. New rules," he repeated, holding up a finger. "No nudity...nothing less than underwear. Since we've trapped – I mean, _encouraged_ – the parental units to join us this year, I can't imagine the amount of brain bleach we'd need if we saw _Dad_ naked."

"Oh damn," Emmett groaned, wearing a comical scowl on his face.

"And that's different than any other day..._how_?" Alice and Edward huffed at the same time.

Laughing, my head fell back, because yeah, those two saw it all – whether they wanted to or not.

"I don't know whether to be insulted or thankful," Carlisle said softly to Esme, who couldn't stop laughing.

"Thankful," we all told him.

"Next," Jasper said, grinning at that whole exchange and holding up another finger. "No sexually explicit dares. No need to scar poor Archie for eternity. Hmm? Questions are fine, but no orgasms, masturbation, sexual positions..."

"Is this the fine print?" I asked Edward in a dramatic whisper.

"Yes," he said with a crooked grin. "Tag, tax, and title not included."

"Shut up!" Jasper growled, throwing a pillow at us, which Edward caught deftly with a laugh. "Let me finish!" He sighed deeply, rolling his eyes. "Last thing...you are not to use Truth questions to finalize any bets. There are a few still up in the air, and it would be unfair to settle those in this game. Are we clear?"

That made me extremely happy because it wasn't beneath my siblings to straight up ask if Edward had a fuck-hot mouth during sex. Which he did. And I didn't want to answer, simply because I didn't know who had more fun – Edward and me keeping it from them, or the whole family thinking they could figure it out. It was all a big game.

Edward laughed, his hand hitting his forehead in a loud smack. "Bella."

"What?" I asked innocently, but switched to thoughts. _You can't say you didn't think it, too, Edward Cullen._

Grinning over at me, he shot me a wink.

"So I take it there are still some bets about me going back to work, hmm?" Carlisle asked.

"Hell, yes!" Kevin answered. "But don't worry...you have a few weeks for me, Dr. Feel Good."

"However, I'm out as of today," Esme sighed forlornly. "Jasper and I both are."

"I don't want to talk about it," Jasper huffed, turning to Alice. "By all means, darlin'."

Alice smiled and then turned to Archie. "Since you're new, I'll explain the rules of the game. The person up chooses someone in this circle. That person must choose whether they want to be asked a question, which they must be completely honest in answering, or...they can choose a dare. If you refuse to do the dare or answer the question, you must complete two more dares before we can move on. You'll get the idea as we go along." She smiled knowingly at him. "And _I_ always go first."

There were grumbles around the room, but no one argued with her, and I wondered for a split second how long she'd been "going first."

"Eighty years," Edward muttered. "Eighty years of... _And I go first._"

I snorted into a laugh, especially when Alice growled at him, pouting a little.

Alice narrowed her eyes at her brother, who just grinned back, and then she turned back to Archie. "Are you ready?"

"No...not at all, but go ahead," Archie replied.

Alice took a deep breath and called, "Bella."

I growled, rolling my eyes. "All these people, even a new person, and you still pick me first."

"Eighty years..." Edward whispered in my ear. "Just think...she'll be picking you first eighty years from now."

I shoved him away with a laugh and looked to my sister. Taking a deep breath, I then let it out and said, "Truth."

"If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?" she asked immediately, like she'd seen my choice ahead of time, which she probably had.

My eyebrows shot up with that one, but I thought about it. I thought about Forks and London and Italy and all the places we'd stayed. I chewed on my bottom lip when I thought about places I hadn't seen, but one place offered a since of nostalgia, a beginning of sorts, and complete and totally privacy.

"Really?" Edward whispered, his brow furrowed.

"Yeah," I answered, barely looking at him. "Isle Esme."

"Why, sweetheart?" Esme asked, her eyes filled with a warm, sweet gaze.

"Umm," I mused, looking down at my hands. "It's beautiful, yes, but it represents an escape for me...and the place where Edward and I really first started. It was the first place we lived alone for a few weeks. I think we learned to truly let our guard down there...overcome some things."

Edward kissed the side of my head, saying nothing, but a low purr rumbled between us.

Alice smiled softly and nodded.

"Damn, I thought for sure...Forks," Emmett said with a chuckle.

"Second place," I told him with a grin. "Now...my turn." I narrowed my eyes on everyone, but my gaze finally fell on Jasper, who groaned when I called his name.

Raising an eyebrow at me, he said, "Dare. Do your worst, Bells."

"Trade shirts with someone in this room for the remainder of the game..." I held my hand up when he immediately turned to Emmett. "Of the opposite sex."

The room exploded into laughter, but Jasper took it in stride with a crooked grin and a glance around the room. "Give it up, Rose... let's go," he told her, grasping the back of his T-shirt and shirking out of it.

Rose guffawed, stood up, caught his shirt in mid-air, and walked into the library to change quickly. She returned and tossed her own his way. What was hilarious was to see Jasper squeeze into a bright teal, lace-topped tank top. I knew he'd picked Rose because she was the tallest. He'd have never fit into anything Alice, Esme, or I had on, so that left him with no other alternative.

"You look...precious, sweet cheeks," Emmett teased him.

"I look good in this color. Don't hate!" Jasper growled, looking around the room for his victim. He rubbed his hands together. "Dad," he sang.

Carlisle groaned, his brows knitting together, but his chin jutted out as he stated, "Dare," with a firm tone.

"No shit?" Jasper gasped, looking shocked. "I was totally expecting truth. But dare, it is..." He grinned evilly, saying, "There's something satisfying in this... Dad, you have to dance the Macarena. The whole song."

"Oh, hell..." Carlisle stood, laughing when we all called out to him, wolf whistles echoing through the room. "Okay, hit me..."

Alice played the song over her phone, and I don't know what was funnier – the fact that most of us pulled out our own phones to record it or the dance itself. Carlisle swayed his hips, his hands going through the motions throughout the entire song, but we all would burst out with, "Hey, Macarena," every time it came up.

By the time he sat back down, Esme was in hysterics, and Edward was threatening to post his dance on YouTube.

"Your turn, sweetie," Esme reminded him, still struggling to get her giggles under control.

"Ah, yes..." he sang, rubbing his hands together. "Kevin."

"I'm not sure I want a dare from you, Dr. Feel Good," he told him with a grin. "So...truth."

"Okay. If you borrowed a talent from someone in this room for twenty-four hours...who would it be and why?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest.

Kevin grinned, giving the room a long, slow gaze. Edward chuckled at whatever he was hearing but otherwise, stayed quiet. "I'm not sure I'd ever want to hear what people are thinking," he started, sounding like he was thinking out loud. "The future is iffy anyway... So...probably Archie's. That invisibility would be pretty awesome. Think of the shit you'd see...you could get in anywhere – the White House, a bank vault, the Pentagon...anywhere. Hell, you could sneak into a movie set and watch Channing Tatum get dressed!"

"Hello, _Magic__ Mike_," Alice guffawed.

Kevin smiled widely. "Exactly!"

Poor Archie looked shocked, but he snorted and shook his head. For a moment, I was wondering what he was making of all this, but Edward simply chuckled.

"Heavy E!" Kevin called out.

Edward narrowed his eyes at Kevin, wearing a small yet sexy smirk.

"See, Arch," Emmett leaned over. "This is where Eddie boy cheats. He sees both options in Kevin's mind. If he doesn't like one, he opts for the other."

Archie laughed but looked back to Edward.

"Truth," Edward finally stated, giving Emmett a side-glance. "And he hid them both from me. He's singing 'It's Raining Men' in his head. And it's _really loud_, I might add!"

Laughing, I looked to Kevin, who looked rather proud of himself.

"Besides in a defensive situation, has the Goddess ever used her shield on you?" he asked, wearing a smirk as he waggled his eyebrows.

Giggling, I blinked up at Edward innocently, waiting for his answer. He grinned, grasping my face gently.

He turned back to Kevin, his face serious at first. "First of all, other than practicing, she's never had to use her shield defensively...not from me." He shook his head slowly, a smirk spreading over his face. "But yes, she has."

"Oh, yeah," Emmett cheered, grinning at us. "I bet that was all sorts of twisted...Mistress Bella."

Ignoring Emmett, I bit my lip and smiled up at Edward, remembering several different situations. I'd pinned his hands more times than I could count, but I'd held him completely down onto the top of the Volvo once in London when his temper had gotten out of control. I'd used my shield to snap him out of it.

"Mmhm, exactly," Edward purred, kissing my fingers.

"You totally take charge of that, don't you, my Goddess?" Kevin guffawed.

"Since it's not your turn, I don't have to answer you," I sang back, batting my eyelashes at him.

Edward laughed but glanced around at the players. "Emmett."

"Oh yeah... Dare, baby. Bring it!" Emmett boomed, flexing his huge arms.

My husband grinned, nodding, and pointed out the front window. "You'll have to do this outside. Old-school break-dancing," he stated, pulling out his phone.

Emmett's head fell back with his laughter, but he nodded and stood up. We all piled out onto the front porch.

Edward bent to my ear. "In the early eighties, Emmett couldn't get enough break-dancing. If I'd have heard one more Run DMC song, I might have run away for good." He shook his phone in front of me, kissing me when I laughed softly. "However, this one started it all."

The opening notes of some rap song started. It was old and slightly cheesy and frequently mentioned someone by the name of Grand Master Flash. But it was Emmett that held our attention. Despite his size, my biggest brother was really rather graceful, and it was hysterical to watch him pull out every break-dancing cliché known to man – the worm, the robot, he even tossed in the Moonwalk. Watching him spin on his back, flip, shake, and shimmy might have been the funniest thing ever.

"He totally sported the Adidas without strings and the baggy pants, didn't he?" I muttered to no one in particular.

"Yes!" Edward, Rose, and Alice all growled at the same time, wearing looks of disgust.

"I thought he was a metal head." I laughed.

"He was," Jasper answered with a chuckle. "One school, he was into rap. The next, metal. It went on for years."

When Emmett finished with a dramatic spin on his back, ending in a handstand, we all clapped and whistled. He grinned, giving us a deep bow.

"Thank you, thank you..." he chanted, following us all back inside to form our circle again.

The game went on for hours, and I swore this was the most intense game we'd ever played. We found out that Adrian stole fifty dollars from his mother one time when he wanted a video game she wouldn't let him have. Alice – thanks to Edward – had to dance the Waltz with Archie, who was pretty damn good at it.

Edward was dared to strip down to his underwear for three rounds, which scared the shit out of me because normally, he went commando. But apparently, Edward was smarter than I gave him credit. When he dropped his black jeans, a sexy pair of burgundy boxer-briefs met my eyes, and he simply said, "Wasn't taking chances," as he sat back down.

Poor Esme made the mistake of choosing dare with Edward, so he made her say the words "in bed" after everything she said for the next four turns. We all collapsed into a heap of laughter when she reprimanded Kevin for his language...in bed. He merely grinned and told her he wasn't making any promises.

Emmett dared me to chug a gallon of milk, which I did – though it immediately came back up out in the backyard, and thankfully, Edward held my hair as he repeatedly asked me if he should beat the hell out of our brother. I said no but thanked him anyway.

Archie had to admit to the naughtiest thing he'd ever done, which was peek in on his mother's friend while she dressed once, and we were all shocked, but it earned Archie some serious back pats and fist bumps from all the boys.

"Rose," Archie called, and she looked a little shocked that he'd called on her.

"Truth," she opted.

"What do you like best about being a vampire?" he asked her, and for a moment, I wondered if he just simply needed to know.

She smiled at him. "That's something Carlisle would ask," she teased, giving Dad a wink. "Um...speed, the way our minds work, and...Emmett."

It really was the simplest answer for her, I knew that much. Rosalie had hated her life, though she'd come to terms with it. I was just glad he hadn't asked her what she _didn't_ like because most of us knew the answer. Rose had always wanted children.

"Bella," Rose called, snapping my attention to her.

"After the milk? Ugh... Truth," I told her, leaning into Edward's hug.

"My poor girl." He chuckled softly, kissing my temple and rubbing up and down my arm with his open hand.

"Where's your favorite place you've ever had sex?" she asked, giving me the biggest and cheesiest grin she could muster.

"Oh ho!" Kevin sang, sitting forward and rubbing his hands together. "Now we're getting somewhere."

Sitting up straight, I huffed a laugh. Unfortunately, I couldn't control my thoughts, so poor Edward was subjected to a Flash Point type slideshow in my head. There were so many places! There were romantic, like our honeymoon on the beach, times when Edward had rented a hotel room and lit candles everywhere, and our home in London, where no surface had been safe. Then there were times that were out of our control – hunting, the car, alleyways, and school gymnasiums. Rainy days, grassy fields, shattered trees, fluffy beds, destroyed hotel rooms, hot tubs, the piano... Oh God, the piano...

"Christ, Bella," Edward groaned, clawing at his hair. "Just pick!"

Laughter echoed around us, but I smirked over at him. "You're just as responsible, Cullen."

"I know! But still..." he begged, much to the amusement of our family. "Baby, please?"

Grinning, I looked to Rose. "It's a tie," I stated firmly, glancing up when Edward's gaze snapped to mine, all humor gone from his face. "The Cullen house in Forks...and the meadow. I can't choose between the two."

It would've been impossible to pick. Our meadow had always been a place of comfort, truth, and love. We'd made love so many times there that there was an almost permanent impression of us in the grass the last time we'd visited. But the Cullen house in Forks was so very important. It was where we met, fell in love, got married, and made love for the first time. It was the very first place he took me the day he came back to me. There was no way to choose.

Rose rolled her eyes at me but smiled genuinely as Edward kissed the back of my hand over and over.

"What did you expect? The Aston Martin?" I asked with a grin, narrowing my eyes on Edward when he growled low. "Stop it!"

"Sue me," he muttered, giving me a cocky grin, because the Aston Martin had earned him all sorts of props from his brothers.

"You're such a _guy_ sometimes, Edward," I accused teasingly. He merely smiled and shrugged, so I turned my attention to the room. "Adrian."

Poor Adrian's head snapped up, and he looked nervous. He and Archie were our shyest players and most always opted to answer a truth question – though we were just as relentless with those.

"Truth," he responded just as I thought he would.

"Name five things you find attractive in the same sex," I told him, laughing when Kevin blinked dramatically his way.

"Aw...Bells," he whined.

"Answer it, or you have to do two dares, Adrian," Alice warned him. "And there's another gallon of milk in there. I bought all sorts of supplies for this game."

"Eww, no!" he groaned, wincing at the mere thought. He sighed, shook his head, and gave a glance around the room, holding up his first finger. "Smile, eyes, that little v thing..." He grinned when every girl in the room whooped in agreement.

Edward tugged me over, growling in my ear. "Hush, beautiful."

"A really nice ass," Adrian continued, and Edward gently placed his hand over my mouth. "And a great big...personality." He grinned, shaking his head at the groans and the laughs that broke out.

"Oh hell no, he didn't!" Rose guffawed.

"Last one, 'cause I wanna go watch the game," Emmett stated, and we all nodded in agreement.

"Okay," Adrian agreed, looking around the room. "Edward."

"Truth," Edward replied, keeping me curled up in his lap.

"All those schools...what's the worst thing, worst rumor you've heard about someone in this room?" he asked, and Edward suddenly became very still.

Edward was quiet for a moment, but his voice had dropped to a serious tone. "Never mind. Dare. And I know it has to be two."

I sat up to look at him, but he simply shook his head at me once.

"Okay," Adrian said, dragging the word out a bit. "Umm, first one...chug two shots of hot sauce."

"Yuck," I groaned, watching as my husband stood up without complaint and walked into the kitchen. In front of us all, he poured the first shot of the fiery red liquid.

Edward grimaced before putting the small glass to his lips. Tipping his head back quickly, he tossed the liquid down his throat. He poured the next glass, following the same exact process. He licked his lips like the taste was just simply awful, but shot out the back door the same way I had when I'd drunk the milk.

I darted into Esme's bathroom, wet a washcloth with warm water, and met him on the back steps. He'd done the same thing for me. It was only fair. Kneeling beside him as he got rid of the hot sauce, I ran my fingers through his hair and then wiped his face. I was met with warm, sweet, honey-colored eyes.

"Thanks," he snorted, rolling those same beautiful eyes at me.

"It was me," I guessed in a barely there sound. "The rumor."

"Yes."

I nodded. "Do I want to know?"

"You already do, but they don't."

"Ah," I sighed, grimacing a little. "How I looked while you were gone," I surmised, though I didn't elaborate on the details aloud. I knew what people had thought about me – that I was suicidal, that Edward had found another woman, that I'd started taking drugs. The truth was that I was in pain, and my body was shutting down without him. But my sweet mind reader had heard it all when he returned to Forks.

"Yeah, all of that, love."

"You could've told them," I whispered, wiping his handsome face again.

"I didn't want to." His face was stern as he said those words, but his eyes were warm and sweet and filled with something I couldn't quite put a name to.

"Fair enough, baby." I kissed his forehead. "Poor thing. Ready for your next dare?"

"I have no choice," he said with a grimace.

The two of us walked back in hand in hand, only to find highly amused stares aimed our way.

"Aw, really?" Edward groaned, almost sounding like a petulant child. "A prank call?"

"To whom?" I asked, but was met with Emmett's highly amused laugh.

"Eddie here has to call the closest McDonald's and tell them he's Ronald McDonald coming in for an inspection and to be ready," he stated, nodding once and folding his large arms across his chest.

"That shit would be funny as hell to watch in person..." Kevin muttered aloud, shaking his head and huffing a laugh.

"Yeah, really funny. Wanna know why?" Adrian asked with a chuckle. "Because guess who works at the closest McDonald's..."

"Ronnie," Edward said with a laugh. "From the fair..."

"Oh hell," I sighed, looking around the room, only to land on the parents for help.

"Oh, son," Carlisle started, chuckling a little. "Unfortunately, you have to stick to the rules. However, we want no part of this one."

Not five minutes later did we find ourselves piled into two cars, minus the parents. Archie rode with Edward, Adrian, Kevin, and myself in the Volvo, and everyone else was piled into Emmett's truck.

It wasn't the first time Archie had been in a car, but it was the first time he'd left the property. Emmett had taught him the history of motor vehicles, only to drive him around the yard, down the long drive, and back to the house. His eyes were wide as he sat in the back seat with my brothers as they quickly explained who Ronald McDonald was, and I couldn't imagine what a shock all the lights, cars, and noise were to him.

Shamelessly, Emmett and Edward backed into the farthest parking spots on the lot, facing the restaurant. I shook my head at what they were about to do.

"Do I have to be Ronald? Or can I do it a different way?" Edward asked, wearing a silly-as-hell grin as they rolled their windows down.

"Whatever, dude." Jasper laughed, pointing toward the front doors. "As long as _they_ think the big clown is comin', that's all that matters."

"This is so fucked up," Rose snorted into a laugh. "Edward, I apologize on behalf of them all."

He grinned at her and waved it all away as he studied the phone in his hands. I couldn't imagine doing what he was about to do, but anonymity was a beautiful thing. Edward laughed, glancing over at me.

"I suppose there could be worse dares," I told him, wearing a big smile.

"You mean like naked snow angels?" he countered, raising a deadly sexy eyebrow up at me.

_You looked damn good making them, Edward Cullen_, I thought to him with a smirk. "I can't apologize for that. You deserved it."

Grinning, he glanced back down at his phone, his thumb sweeping gracefully over the screen. Finally, he put the thing up to his ear.

You could've heard a pin drop at how quiet the nine of us were being. But all eyes were on Edward.

"Good evening. Thank you for calling McDonald's Caribou. This is Skylar. How may I help you?" a young, polite, feminine voice answered over the phone.

"Hello, Skylar. This is Stephen Carson from the corporate office," Edward started, rolling his eyes and shaking his head, but his voice sounded completely professional and as smooth as melted chocolate. "I was just calling to let you know that Ronald himself will be giving your location a brief inspection this evening. This call is just to give you a heads up. In fact, he should be arriving within the hour."

The whole lot of us – two cars full – burst into silent laughter.

"O-O-kay," she murmured, dragging out the word. "Did you want to speak with Tony, the manager on duty?"

"No, no...that won't be necessary." Edward stated into the phone, his head falling back to the headrest behind him. "But Skylar, please make sure that everything is running smoothly, that your location is looking its best. Can you do that for me?"

With that voice, even I was willing to get in there and clean, which only earned me a ginormous smile aimed my way from Edward.

"Y-Yes, Mr..."

"Carson," he finished for her. "Thank you, Skylar. You have an enjoyable evening."

He ended the call, huffing a laugh to himself as we all cracked up, but all of us turned our attention inside the restaurant, where the employees were hearing Skylar's announcement.

"Guys! That was corporate...they're sending Ronald for an inspection!" she cried out from behind the counter.

"Watch this shit," Jasper murmured, chuckling a bit.

He must have sent in wave upon wave of panic and fear because every last employee suddenly shot into overdrive...including the boy we'd taught a lesson to at the Halloween fair.

"Are you sure, Sky?" Ronnie asked her with broom in hand. "'Cause that's like the oldest prank call in the books. That fuckin' clown ain't comin'."

"It wasn't a prank! It was corporate. Stephen Carson."

I shot a look to Edward. "How in the blue hell did you know who they'd respond to?"

Edward laughed, looking young, carefree, and so very smug. "Googled it."

Jasper fed the whole building for a few more minutes, making it worse inside. Even the manager, Tony, got involved, pushing a belligerent Ronnie outside to clean the parking lot. At that point, our two cars were out of control, so we pulled out of the parking lot to head home.

I glanced back at glow of the restaurant, shaking my head. "Well, if one good thing came out of that whole prank, it's that at least the place will be cleaner."

Kevin grinned. "No shit. At least there's that."

Edward snorted and shook his head. "I'm not sure cleaning will make the food any better for humans." We all laughed with him, but he just smiled and shrugged. "Just sayin'."

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

"He was out of bounds!" Jasper yelled at the TV.

"Hell, no...he was in! Watch his feet, watch his feet!" Emmett boomed, pointing to the slow motion replay that was happening on the screen.

The football game simply wasn't holding my attention. Carlisle and my brothers were all engrossed, not to mention Archie was trying to take it all in, but I got up and wandered into the library. I hadn't sat down to play music in almost a week.

Twin faces of surprise glanced up at me when I walked into the room. Alice and Bella were leaning into each other on the sofa, both studying the screen of the laptop.

"Christmas shopping?" I asked with a grin because I couldn't hear a single thought between them.

"Maybe," they said at the same time, looking falsely innocent.

"Just tell me we you aren't dragging us all over this state on Black Friday," I groaned, sitting down to my piano.

Bella giggled, shaking her head. "No, baby. Promise."

"Thank God," I murmured, smirking when they laughed. "Do you mind?" I asked, pointing to the piano.

"Never," they both said.

"You're doing it again...speaking in stereo. It's frightening," I told them.

"Shut up and play, Edward," Alice snorted, looking back at the computer.

I fiddled around with a few songs, not bothering to finish them. Since my brothers weren't in the room, it really was just a way to keep myself busy. I played some Christmas carols, some Lady Antebellum, even a classical or two, and the girls stayed quiet over on the sofa. Sometimes, they sang along under their breath, but otherwise, there was simply a relaxing feel to the room.

I started on an Elton John song, something I'd heard in a movie the girls had watched a few years back, but it had been a rather successful song. Really, I just enjoyed the way he'd put together melodies and chords. When I started the first few notes, I hadn't expected the girls to sing, but once they started, I smiled and played "Tiny Dancer" just to hear it.

_Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band.  
Pretty eyes, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man  
Ballerina, you must've seen her dancing in sand  
And now she's in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand_

I grinned when my brothers walked in, quickly putting my fingers up to my lips as I continued to play. Emmett sat down to his drums. Jasper picked up an acoustic guitar, as did Kevin. Adrian and Archie took seats on the loveseat. When Rose, Carlisle, and Esme walked in, it was Jasper that joined in with Bella's and Alice's voices.

_Piano man he makes his stand  
In the auditorium  
Looking on, she sings the songs  
The words she knows, the tune she hums_

_But oh, how it feels so real  
Lying here with no one near  
Only you, and you can hear me  
When I say softly, slowly_

We all joined in on the chorus, and suddenly, Bella was at my side, giving my cheek a sweet kiss as she straddled the bench.

_Hold me closer tiny dancer  
Count the headlights on the highway  
Lay me down in sheets of linen  
You had a busy day today_

As I played alone on the bridge, I heard my family's thoughts. They loved this. It wasn't about the song, or the playing, but the moments when we all just...were. It was the one moment we weren't teasing, fighting, or worrying about anything. It was easy of mind, heart, and spirit. Even Archie's mind was calm, happy, just enjoying the sounds.

Bella, though, had finally opened up her mind to me. As usual, her eyes were watching my hands while I played. Her mind loved the feel of the family around the holidays, and listening to her, a plan started to form in my mind as to what to get her for Christmas. It wouldn't be the only thing, but it would be an important thing.

Alice met my gaze from across the room and smiled. _Absolutely, Edward. She'd love that. It's been years._

When the song was over, my brothers picked up another song, and I dropped a heavy kiss to the top of Bella's head. "I love you...so much, sweet girl," I murmured quietly into her hair.

Lifting her head from my shoulder, she smiled, and it was beautiful and sweet and heartbreaking all at the same time. "Love you, too, Edward."

"Happy Thanksgiving," Carlisle said to the room, picking up Esme's hand and kissing it.

"Happy Thanksgiving," we all called back.

I turned back to Bella, kissing her lips this time and thinking I was thankful, indeed.

"Play, baby," Bella requested sweetly. "Please?"

Chuckling a little, I nodded. "What would you like to hear, love?"

She smiled, settled back in against my shoulder, and sighed contentedly. "It doesn't matter. It never matters. Just play...anything."

As always, her wish was my command, so I dropped one more kiss to her head, whispering, "Anything for you. Happy Thanksgiving, sweet girl."

* * *

**A/N... Again...no disrespect intended to the fast food industry. Like I said, I worked it for four years through college...I would've cracked the hell up if this happened. Again, I'm also well aware that McDonald's would have been closed for the holiday, but this was too much fun to resist.**

**I hope you enjoyed Truth or Dare... I know this is a little shorter than you guys are used to from me, but I didn't want to mix this with anything else. It seemed perfect the way it is.**

**Playlist addition:**

"**Tiny Dancer" by Elton John**

**I've always appreciated the piano in this one, so this was picked simply because it's a favorite of mine. :)**

**Looks like I will have Chapter 21 ready for Wednesday, so I'll save my holiday wishes for then. I'll see you guys then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N... Huh...who knew McDonald's would be open. Poor things. That's a shame, really.**

**Anyway, I'm really glad you enjoyed Thanksgiving...and Truth or Dare. :) That was really a lot of fun to write. And yeah, Edward will protect his Bella...even at the cost of hot sauce and prank calls. LOL**

**There were a few questions posed this time, but a lot had to do with the future. Will Archie mate? Will he see the world with the Cullens? Will Marcus show up? When is Demitri coming back? All those things will be answered in time. I promise.**

**And for my betting firefighters...the bet is now what Edward is getting Bella for Christmas? Hmm...that, too, will come in time. Though, it won't be answered in this chapter. And I wanted to tell you guys...you keep asking for Leah...I never included her in this fic, even from the beginning. At all. I don't particularly like that character, so I didn't bring her in.**

**Okay, so a little LEMON WARNING for the beginning of this...and maybe some visitors to the Cullen house?**

* * *

Chapter 21

**EDWARD**

"Where are we?" Bella asked breathlessly, scrambling over the console of the Volvo.

"It doesn't matter. Anywhere. Nowhere. Come here," I growled, sliding the seat back as far as it could go and pulling her to my lap.

She was driving me crazy. She'd _been_ driving me crazy all damn day. It was supposed to be a simple shopping trip into Bangor, but everything she did, everything she said, even her sweet, happy laugh, pushed me closer and closer to just taking her. It could've been anywhere, and I wasn't quite sure if I cared that anyone in that God-forsaken mall heard her when she called _my _name. In fact, after several flirting boys – and one oblivious girl – it had been all I could do not to force her into the closest dressing room just to bury myself deep inside of her, to claim her as mine.

It was everything about her – her tight jeans, her form-fitting thermal shirt, her dark curls that cascaded over her shoulders, her deep brown eyes that sparkled with so much love and mischief that I could barely breathe, and it was the way she simply responded to everything I couldn't stop myself from doing. I touched, flirted, teased, and stole kisses every time the opportunity had arisen.

Maybe it was the holidays, maybe it was the freedom of being away from a full house, or maybe I was completely and totally neck deep in a moment. I couldn't quite tell. And I really wasn't sure I gave a shit at this point. There would be no making it back to the house. I fucking wanted her.

My hand gripped her hair at the base of her head at the same time the other palmed her ass and tugged her closer. Our mouths met open and ready, and I couldn't help the moan of satisfaction that just tasting her brought to me. Bella's whole body rolled in the most beautiful and tortuous waves as she threaded her fingers into my hair.

"Bella," I moaned as I trailed my lips down her cheek to her neck, but even to my own ears, it sounded more like whining. "Please, baby... I can't make it home," I admitted softly. It was the reason I'd found the first deserted road I could find.

She smiled against my jaw. "I know, Edward. Back seat."

"Mm," I purred low, unable to help myself. Cupping either side of her face, our heavy-lidded, black eyes locked. "You're too fucking good to me."

"I believe it was you that said that we're essentially selfish creatures, handsome," she crooned, pressing her forehead to mine. "I have you alone..._all_ to myself. Think I'm in a hurry to get home?" Her voice was almost teasing as her fingers deftly unbuttoned my shirt.

Swallowing thickly, I shook my head no. "Back seat," I finally repeated. "And those jeans better be on the floorboard by the time I get back there."

With a sexy giggle, she crawled into the back seat. I clawed at my hair, taking a deep breath and giving our surroundings one more quick glance. It was lightly snowing, and we were well hidden off the main highway. However, I was really, really grateful that the windows were tinted, because I was about to take her in front of God and everybody.

I couldn't crawl over the seat like my girl did, so as fast as I could, I hopped out of the driver's side and slid into the back. The door hadn't even closed before she was back on my lap, only this time, she was smooth legs and tiny underwear.

"Good girl," I told her, reveling in skin and silk and rolling hips.

She kissed me stupid, kissed me to the point that my hands lost all control. They slipped underneath her shirt and tugged down her bra in order to expose her hardened peaks. Had we been human, the inside of the car would've fogged up with the heavy breathing we were both pushing out. I cupped, squeezed, pinched, finally lifting her shirt so that I could taste and suck and bite.

"Edward, baby..." Bella whimpered, cupping my face and pulling back to look me in the eyes. "You okay?"

"Yes...no...maybe?" I stammered, smirking at her giggle. "I just... Fuck, Bella, I need you. You drove me crazy today."

"I didn't mean to," she said apologetically.

Chuckling darkly, I simply shook my head. "You can't help it, my sweet, beautiful girl. So many thoughts about you today," I growled, my brow furrowing. "And I could smell you..."

"Your fault," she huffed, leaning in to kiss me again. Her tongue was desperate, claiming, and so very sweet and deep.

My fingers slipped beneath the edge of her underwear, meeting warm, wet, and swollen. Palming it possessively, I broke away from her mouth.

"Fuck, baby. You need me, don't you?" I whispered, nipping at her bottom lip as my fingers teased but didn't quite give in.

"More than I can tell you... Right there, Edward...and don't stop!"

Her mind was a cacophony of images, words, and needs. But at the very top of that list was my voice. It had seemed like ages since we'd just let go, since we'd been away from super hearing, empaths, and future seers. We'd hunted not long after Thanksgiving, which was two weeks ago, and we'd spent the day at our waterfall, but with the holidays, Archie, and way too many of us, it seemed impossible to get her alone.

Bella pressed down onto my hand, coating my palm and fingers in her arousal. Grinning when her eyes rolled back into her head at the feel of just a touch of friction, I moaned at the sight of her.

"Sit up on your knees," I told her. "It spreads open this needy pussy for me."

She whimpered as her warm hands slipped up my exposed stomach and chest, and she finally braced herself on my shoulders just under my open shirt while her knees straddled me. Her mouth hung open, her forehead pressed to mine, and pleas were a whispered chant.

"Don't tease, don't tease, don't tease. You've done that all damn day, Edward," she rasped, leaning into me.

I wanted to laugh, but she was right. I had teased her all day – kisses to her neck, touches when no one was looking, and my words. Hell, I'd almost told her how many ways I wanted to take her right in the middle of the video game store, but it wasn't without reason. The boy behind the counter had unfortunately had a vivid imagination. His thoughts of her played out like a combination of a porn and violent anime. It was disturbing and vile, and he'd had no idea just how rough my Bella could get. He wouldn't have survived a minute with her, but I could take it. Gladly.

"Sorry, my love..." I murmured, losing myself in the sight of my own hand disappearing into her sexy baby blue underwear. "I promise...I'll make up for it. Right..._now_..."

I slid two fingers deep inside of her, curling to find the spot I knew so well. Her wetness increased tenfold, causing me to smile up at her wickedly when she cried out.

"You like that, don't you?" I purred, nipping at the peaked nipples that were right in front of me, but my eyes never left her stunning and overwhelmed face. "It's why you watch my hands when I play the piano, isn't it? Tell me, my naughty girl."

"Fuck, yes," she hissed, her head falling back a little.

"You imagine them deep inside of you, touching you...making you come for me."

She moaned long and low, her fingers digging into my shoulders when my thumb swirled languidly around her clit. The answer was a loud and resounding yes in her mind, and she was so very close. And I needed to see it, feel it, watch her fall apart over me, around me...from the inside. I needed it more than anything, to the point that I was begging her.

"Come, baby...come," I whispered against the sweet-smelling skin just below her jaw as my thumb applied just a little more pressure and my fingers curled just a little bit more. "I want you so wet when I sink inside of you. Wetter than this..."

That was really all it took to send her over the edge. The combination of my hands and my voice was all she needed. In her mind, it had been too long since Dirty Edward had been free to make an appearance. Free was the key word. She wanted me uninhibited.

Purring as she came down from her high, I pressed kisses to her lips, chin, and throat. Her eyes were sated, though no less heated than they were before.

"I'm sorry I drove you crazy," I told her in a whisper against her lips. "You're too sexy to ignore. And too many thoughts wanted what was mine."

"Mmm," she hummed contentedly against my lips, slipping her fingers back into my hair. "You look...tortured, Edward."

Her voice stated it like fact, but when she pulled back a little, her eyes drifted down to where I was so hard for her. My jeans were so tight, they were almost painful. Her eyes locked onto my hand as I pulled it from her underwear, immediately taking the flavor of her in my mouth.

"So fucking good, love," I murmured, feeling my eyes darken even further. "If I could, I'd take my time with you, but..."

"But they're expecting us back to go get the tree," she finished for me, and I nodded forlornly. "Edward, I will take care of you. I promise. Tell me how you want me."

I shook my head because I wasn't quite articulate enough to tell her, especially when her small fingers were already working on the button and zipper of my jeans. I'd maintained just long enough to help her come first, but my restraint had left the building...or the car, as the case was.

My grip on her ass tightened as she shifted over me. It was all I could do not to slam her down over me, bury myself deep inside of her.

"Baby, look at me," she whispered, cupping my face with one hand as she ground down on my already-leaking cock. When my eyes met hers, she smiled softly. "I've got you, okay?" She placed a hand over my still heart. "I feel it. Do you?"

"Yes." I nodded fervently because my chest was about to explode with the feel of our connection, the shocking electric crackle that buzzed all around us and through her very touch.

I was glad she knew, that she was able to take control, because mine was gone. I wrenched her underwear to the side, not bothering to remove or tear them. I'd needed her hours ago. The very feel of her sliding down onto me, surrounding me in tight warmth and wetness, caused a multitude of sinful things to erupt from my mouth.

"Mmhmm," she purred in praise, smirking down at me. "More, Edward. Let it out."

"So good, so good," I rambled, my head falling back to the headrest behind me. I was merely enjoying her ride me. "Fuck...so good."

My mouth captured a tight peak as she leaned forward, her hips rolling – up, down, in, out – slowly but with the clear intention of making me come. My girl knew what she was doing to me, because a small wicked smile curled the corners of her mouth.

"Tell me how good," she whispered against my jaw, dragging lips and teeth along my skin up to my ear. "Now. Tell me..."

"So good," I repeated, sounding like a incoherent broken record. "I love to watch you ride my cock, Bella. You look like you love it."

"I do. So much."

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah..."

"Faster, love. Harder."

The whole car shook as she picked up the pace, but it wasn't enough. I needed harder, closer...just _more_. Shifting quickly, I loomed over her with her leg in the crook of my arm. The space in the back seat was limited, but I thrust into her as deeply as I could go. Her gasp made me stop completely.

"God, more..." she growled, glaring at me when I stilled. Fingers dug into my bicep and my ass to pull me deeper, her hips lifting up slightly.

"Am I too deep?"

"Never. Don't stop!"

"Good," I grunted, "then put that other leg on the floor... Open up for me because I really need to fuck the shit out of you."

My Bella's smile was wicked and sexy, filled with carnal intentions. She met me thrust for thrust, causing the whole car to test its shocks. It truly was a good thing I'd pulled off the main highway because we wouldn't have gone unnoticed. Growls and whimpers ghosted between us. Pleas for more and vows to give it were mere whispers. Kisses were rough and deep and awkward, but it didn't stop us.

Bella clawed at my back, my ass, my shoulders. My own hands tried their damnedest not to destroy my car.

"Oh fuck...there!"

"Here?" I verified, pressing my forehead to hers and hitting the same exact spot.

"Yes, Edward."

"Again, baby...my name."

"Edward..." It came out breathy, raspy, and so very sexy.

It was the sound I needed. It was my name that erupted from her lips, not the men today in the stores. I was fucking her harder than the boy in the video store could ever even conceive of fucking her. It was my cock, not the young blond at the shoe store, whose face had paled at the sight of her. I slammed into her over and over, erasing the memory of the girl in the lingerie store who had imagined Bella in everything they sold. By that time, I'd just about reached my limit, and I'd wanted to describe in utter detail just how much my Bella loved my cock, simply to make her go away. I'd truly come close to losing my sanity at the end. I'd been unable to keep my hands off of her at that point, which brought us to where were at that moment.

"Edward...I'm..."

"Come, sweet girl," I begged her, my fingers finding her sweet clit one more time. "Let me feel you..."

Her heel dug into the floorboard of the car, causing an eerie sound of bending metal to echo around us, but I didn't care. My girl could shatter the whole damn thing for all I cared. Buying a new car would be worth it just to watch her come that hard for me. Her body arched up, her fingers clawed at my ass, and her eyes rolled back as she came so fucking hard.

Burying my face in her neck, I rode out her climax, giving her that much more pleasure, only to finally give in. My whole body shook with force as I filled her in several long spurts. Unable to hold her the way that I wanted, I sat us back up again, keeping her wrapped around me.

My head fell back to the headrest again as I gazed at my Bella through now-very sated eyes.

She smirked, shaking her head at me while her fingers ran slowly through my hair over and over. "That wasn't a moment."

"No...no, probably not." I huffed a weary laugh. "That was..."

"You being all possessive."

"Yeah, probably." Her sweet giggle made me grin. "I love you."

"Love you, too, Edward," she chortled, kissing my lips softly. She smirked at me again. "You know...you get all blind when things happen like today, my handsome man. You get stared at, too, you know."

"Don't care."

"I know. And you know I don't care, either."

She sighed when I shrugged a shoulder, but I got lost in the beauty of her face for a moment.

"We should go, sweet girl," I whispered, tucking her hair behind her ears.

She smiled one more time, kissed me, and nodded slowly. "Okay."

Bella helped me right my clothes, and I did the same for her, but I stopped her before she crawled back into the front seat.

"Thanks for putting up with me today," I said with a chuckle. "I know I was being a possessive ass."

She laughed, trailing a finger down the slope of my nose. "Thanks for finding a secluded spot, baby."

"Right." I laughed with her, popping her butt as she climbed over. "Like I was really going to make it home," I murmured, grinning as I got out of the back and into the front. I met her amused gaze after starting the engine. "Christmas tree time...yeah?" When she nodded, I turned the car around to head back to the main road.

~oOo~

"My mother picked our trees out from right here," Archie said softly, his mind filled with memories. They were memories he was happy to relive.

"Well, let's see what we can find," Rose told him, and we split up. "Do we really need two this year?" she called over her shoulder.

"Yes," Alice and Esme stated exasperatedly at the same time as everyone spread out through the woods.

"Guess that's a yes," Carlisle muttered under his breath, which made me laugh. "Shut up, son."

"Apparently, there's one going in the library and one in the living room's front window," I told him, ignoring his eye roll. "God knows...we have enough ornaments."

"And Jasper Whitlock, would you please check for squirrels this time?" Bella yelled from about four yards away.

"Yeah, yeah..." he sighed, though his mind was highly amused. "For the record, that wasn't my fault. That damn squirrel jumped back in the tree when I wasn't looking."

Carlisle laughed softly, his comment only for me. _She's going to tear him up in three, two...one..._

"You have a super sense of smell, and he _snuck up on you_?!" Bella growled. "He just about destroyed the house in Rochester! Jasper, you hunt animals to eat..."

Carlisle and I snorted into hysterics. Just watching and listening to them all was hilarious. The ones that were enjoying it the most were Adrian and Kevin. Being from Manhattan, they hadn't exactly gone out to pick out their own Christmas tree growing up, so this was something new for them. As for the rest of us, it was a tradition we'd been doing for years. Even Bella had gone out with Charlie once.

"Mom!" Kevin called. "I vote this one for the living room."

Esme rushed over to see, and she rubbed her chin as she contemplated it. "It could work. It needs some trimming."

"You'd think this was brain surgery," I murmured to Carlisle as we leaned against a rather large pine tree off to the side.

He grinned over at me. "It's way more complicated than that."

"Hmm, probably." I chuckled, shaking my head.

Archie and Emmett picked out the tree for the library, the girls gathered a few pine cones for decoration, and just as we were about to carry it all back to the house, Alice appeared in front of me.

_We have a problem. Or a potential one, anyway._ Her thoughts were calm because a few scenarios were playing out in her mind. All of them looked to end well, but still, this was something that the whole family needed to know about.

"You're sure?" I asked her, and she nodded. "Today?"

"Yes...looks like a few hours from now," she said aloud, but her thoughts weren't meant for everyone. _It's something Archie should know. He may want to hide. I see it playing out several ways._

I took a deep breath and let it out. The whole family was waiting for us. They stayed quiet, patiently giving us the moment. They were used to it.

Bella's hand slipped into mine at the same time Carlisle asked, "What is it?"

"Looks like we'll be getting visitors today," I told him. "Mrs. Delap is dropping off Christmas gifts to her current and former clients. It looks like she'll be here in a few hours."

"Visitors? As in more than one?" Carlisle verified, making sure he'd heard me right.

"Yes. She'll have her daughter and a few friends with her," I sighed, my nose wrinkling at the thought.

"Oh, boy," Bella murmured.

Carlisle paced a bit, his mind concerned with several things, but the most prominent was Archie. He looked around at us all, saying, "Archie, son, come here." When Archie stood before him, he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I need to know what you want to do. I know that Edward and Bella took you around humans not so long ago, but this will be different. They'll be trapped in the house with you. The scent will be stronger, more potent."

Archie nodded, looking nervous. He didn't want to mess up, but he wasn't sure if he was ready to play the part that the rest of us were used to playing.

"I can keep him with me," Bella offered, turning to Archie. "Even if you're not ready to face them, we can stay down in your room or something," she suggested.

"Thank you, Bella," Carlisle said and then turned to me. "I'll need you with me..."

"Yes, sir," I replied with a nod. I'd already prepared to listen to the thoughts of the humans.

We started to head back, but Archie stopped us.

"I'd..." He swallowed thickly, shaking his head. "I'd like to try, Carlisle. I just... I don't want to fail you."

Smiling, I pressed it into the top of Bella's head.

"We won't let you fail, Arch," Kevin vowed, shaking his head.

"Nah, impossible," Jasper added. "And if it gets to be too much, then you'll just have Bells take you somewhere."

Looking to Alice, I waited as she sorted through each possibility. Every outcome was the same – Mrs. Delap and company left our home unscathed...and none the wiser. However, I couldn't help but note that Ronnie didn't look too pleased.

"What was..." I started, but Alice cut me off.

"Not sure," she replied, shrugging a shoulder. "He's not exactly Mr. Happy anyway."

I grinned. "Okay. Then let's get Archie ready."

~oOo~

"Archie, you need to understand the part you're about to play," Bella told him as they decorated the tree in the library.

He gently hung a bright red ornament on a higher branch and looked to her with wide eyes. "I'm not sure I can..."

"You don't have to talk, sweetie. No one is insisting anything, but she's right, and you should know how you'll be seen," Rose said, adjusting the lights.

I watched them from the piano bench. I'd been playing Christmas carols softly just to keep Archie calm, and whether he knew it or not, it was working. He was willing to listen to any insights or pieces of wisdom any of us were willing to share with him. He'd almost been on overload on the way back to the house from getting the trees, but he'd taken it well.

However, the one that wasn't taking it well was Kevin. He really wasn't happy that the "neo-Nazi, abusive bastard" was coming to his home. It bothered him to no end, and it was taking everything Carlisle and Adrian were telling him to keep him calm. I wasn't sure I blamed him. I didn't like Ronnie, either.

As Rose and Bella explained the family dynamic in the eyes of humans, I listened around the house. Alice and Esme were stocking the kitchen, something we hadn't had to do just yet. Jasper and Emmett were attaching the stand onto the tree that was to go into the living room. When they were done with that, my brothers and I were suppose to hang lights on the outside of the house. But for now, I was keeping an eye on Archie.

"So...okay," he sighed, handing ornament after ornament to Bella as she stood on a stepladder. "Emmett, Kevin, and Edward are all adopted. They have the last name Cullen. You and Adrian are brother and sister...Swan."

I wanted to kiss my girl senseless when she smiled brilliantly at him and encouraged him to continue.

"Rosalie Hale and Jasper Whitlock," he said, pointing to Rose. "And then Alice Brandon."

"Perfect, Archie," Rose praised.

Archie's brow furrowed, and he suddenly wondered where he'd fit in.

"We can't use Varner, Archie," I piped up softly, and he spun to look at me. "This house is widely known in town as the Varner House."

"Really?" He gaped at me, his eyebrows high into his hairline.

"Yeah, really," I sighed, pulling my hands away from the piano. "So..."

"With his dark hair color, he'd fit in with Bella and Adrian," Rose pointed out, shrugging a shoulder. "But whatever we choose, we'd better do it soon."

"I know," I agreed. "Of course, he'd work with Alice, too."

A squeal of happiness burst into the room, and Alice was beaming in the doorway.

Archie laughed, shaking his head. "Guess she's okay with that," he murmured.

"You think?" I asked with a chuckle. "Archie Brandon it is."

Alice surprised him with a big hug, kissing his cheek. "I have a brother!"

"Hey!" I growled, looking at her like she'd lost her mind. "You've had brothers!"

Bella and Rose snorted into silent hysterics, hiding themselves on the other side of the Christmas tree. Both couldn't wait to see how Alice handled this one.

"Yes, I know," Alice huffed, wrapping one arm around a rather shocked Archie and planting the other hand on her hip. "But none of you wanted my last name!"

"You..." I growled, pointing a finger at her. "You said it wouldn't work. I offered several times...in fifty-four, in sixty-two...not to mention plenty of times in the seventies. I gave up." I gestured between myself and Alice. "_We_ could've pulled off the twin thing!"

Archie fought his smile when Rose and Bella just couldn't stop laughing. He merely glanced between me and Alice like he was watching a tennis match.

"It wouldn't have worked. And you didn't offer my last name. We didn't know my last name! You offered Masen!" Alice countered, rolling her eyes at me.

Grinning at her, I shrugged. "It's the same concept. You would've made a fine Masen."

"Shut up, Edward," she finally huffed, sticking her tongue out at me.

"You know this goes all the way back to Alice stealing his room when she and Jasper first moved in," Rose muttered to Bella, who grinned over at her. "She just...took it. Moved his ass right out into another room."

"You didn't try to stop her, though, did you?" I frowned back at the keyboard in front of me as the girls laughed that much harder. Rolling my eyes, I shook my head.

"Hell, no," Rose guffawed. "I couldn't wait to see your face."

"You sound like siblings to me," Archie noted aloud, which caused us all to laugh.

I glanced up through the library doorway. I could hear the approaching minds. "They're almost here," I stated loudly enough so that everyone in the house could hear me. "Archie," I called, turning to look at him. "You're not twenty. Understand? You could essentially pull off sixteen with me, Bella, Adrian, and Alice. Kevin and Jasper are seventeen, and Rose and Emmett are eighteen. Okay?"

"It's possible you won't be asked, but if you are...I'd say you're seventeen," Bella grunted, standing on her tiptoes to hang an ornament high on the tree. "Carlisle and Esme usually just lets the people assume..." she said, still straining.

Smiling, I got up, walked over to her, and grasped her waist. "Ready, sweet girl?" When she nodded, I lifted her up so that she could quickly hang what was in her hand. "The star, too, baby," I told her, and she took it quickly from Rose.

She popped the star onto the peak of the tree, smiling and nodding. "Okay..."

I swung her around so that I was cradling her in my arms. "Looks good, love," I told her, gazing over the now completely decorated tree.

"Thanks. One tree down, one to go," she sighed, curling into me for just a moment as we took in colorful lights and decorations.

"They're here," Emmett called from the living room.

I sighed, looking down at my girl. "You take care of Archie, baby. Don't let him get overwhelmed."

She smiled, nodded, and kissed me quickly. "I'm all over this."

~oOo~

**BELLA**

"I really just...hate that guy," Jasper muttered, a sneer curling his upper lip as we watched Mrs. Delap, Tara, Ronnie, Lacey, Dustin, and Faith climb out of her Ford Expedition. "He simply reeks of hate, mischief – and not in a good way – and deception."

"He's also cheating on Tara," Edward suddenly piped up, his face a dark, fierce mask as he and Emmett put lights on the living room Christmas tree. "With Lacey."

"Aw, hell," Rose groaned, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. "They're all way too young to be playing the _Young and the Restless_."

I snorted and looked to Archie. "Sometimes, we know way too much, but that's neither here nor there. You okay?"

"Yes," he said softly, blinking rapidly due to the contacts Alice had shoved into the poor boy's eyes, but we'd had no choice. His eyes weren't quite the right color yet.

"Relax," I whispered, guiding him to the sofa in the living room. "I know they make your vision a little blurry, but you'll only have to keep them in until they leave. And I can't imagine that they'll stay long," I explained gently as the doorbell rang.

Several immortal blurs shifted through the room. Emmett, Jasper, and Adrian all took their places in front of the TV to continue a video game they'd been playing almost twenty-four hours solid. Kevin and Edward took their spots at the dining room table to assume the position of studying. There were laptops, books, and papers strewn all over it. Rose and Alice continued to decorate the tree. I took a seat next to Archie to keep him in my shield. It was acting at its best.

Carlisle wasn't in the room, but Esme gave us all a death-glare that said, "You'd better behave," before finally opening the door.

Greetings were exchanged between Esme and Mrs. Delap, and finally, all the humans were inside the house. I glanced at Archie to make sure he was all right before looking over at them. The last time I'd seen Tara and her friends, they'd been dressed for Halloween, but this time, they were in jeans, sweaters, and jackets. Ronnie and Dustin were in hoodies, their hands shoved deep into the front pockets. The expression on the boys' faces screamed that they didn't want to be there, but the girls were a different story altogether. They were curious, their eyes scoping out their surroundings and each and every guy in the room.

"Come in, come in," Esme greeted warmly. "I think you've met just about everyone the night of the fair, but perhaps we'll refresh everyone's memories." She pointed over at the dining room table. "Over there, that's Edward and Kevin. Here in the living room, that's Emmett, Jasper, Adrian, Archie, and Bella. And behind us, Rose and Alice."

All of us murmured hellos or waved, doing our best to seem welcoming.

"Gracious! You've done an amazing job in here. I hardly recognize it," Mrs. Delap gushed, a hand over her heart. "At first, I couldn't imagine so many of you, but it works, doesn't it?"

Esme smiled. "We're quite comfortable, yes. I just made a pot of coffee. Why don't you join me in the kitchen? Carlisle will be right out." She turned to the still wide-eyed teens that were silent. "You kids make yourselves at home."

"No, don't do that," Mrs. Delap corrected wryly. "You are all to be on your best behavior...or there will be no movie and no mall. Am I understood?"

"Yeah, Mom, we get it," Tara sighed, rolling her eyes.

I actually liked Tara. And it wasn't because of how her boyfriend mistreated her. She seemed to be the better of all of her friends. Faith had set her sights on every boy in the living room. Lacey was eye-fucking the dining room like Kevin and Edward were the last males she'd ever get to see. Tara, however, looked a little worried at Dustin and Ronnie, who were locked in on my sisters.

Rolling my eyes to Archie, I spoke low enough that only my family could've heard me. "Remember what I told you? Hear their heartbeats?" I asked, and he nodded. "They're nervous. You can smell it, hear it. But they also can't help but be attracted, too. It's dangerous, really. If we were on the other diet, this would not end well." He smirked, but I still checked on him. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, Bella. I only smell you," he said with a sweet grin, which immediately caught Faith's attention.

Emmett huffed a laugh and punched Archie's leg lightly, but he turned his attention to Ronnie. "Yo, Ronnie!" he barked, making the boy jump – most likely on purpose because he was licking his lips at the sight of Rosalie's stretched physique as she decorated the tree. "You play?" he asked, holding up the controller.

"Nah, but Dustin does," he stated, swallowing nervously and shoving his friend forward.

"Damn, isn't this the one that just came out...like yesterday?" Dustin gushed, plopping down onto the loveseat.

"Yup," Jasper said with a chuckle, handing over another controller. "Here...we'll start a new game. We've been getting our asses kicked by this kid in Paraguay."

"Yeah...there's a kid in Germany that stomps me in Madden, dude. I don't get it." Dustin shook his head, laughing a little. "It's American football."

"That shit's big over there, though," Emmett told him with a big grin.

The four boys lost themselves immediately into the game, calling out instructions, laughing, and trash talking. A conflicting emotion came over me because Lacey had wandered into the dining room and was asking Kevin and Edward if home-schooling was different or harder than regular school. Her smile, her hair twirling, and her flirtatious giggle were all so fucking obvious.

But Faith had taken a seat on the other side of Archie, and I feared that was too close, too much for him. I had to focus my attention on him. He looked nervous, but I wasn't so sure it was totally due to her rapid heartbeat.

"You weren't at the fair," Faith piped up. "I'm Faith."

Archie's brow furrowed as he shook his head no. "No...I wasn't. I'm Archie," he stammered quietly.

"Why didn't you go?" she asked, tilting her head, but Archie glanced at me before focusing his attention on his hands in his lap.

"Archie just got over the flu," I answered for him, watching Ronnie fall down in the loveseat next to his friend Dustin when Rose practically blew him off. Tara joined him, but he paid her no attention. "He couldn't make it Halloween."

"Oh," Faith said with a smile. "You feeling better?"

"Yeah...a little," Archie murmured.

Oh, he was so damn shy, and she was flirting badly. And suddenly, I saw my Edward in him. It wasn't that Faith was unattractive. She was actually very pretty, but our immortality made our attraction to the opposite sex – or same sex, if you were Kevin and Adrian – pretty cut and dry. It was there – permanently – or it wasn't. For poor Archie...it just wasn't there.

I glanced across the room to see Lacey moving in on Edward. I snorted but shook my head.

"Edward," I called, and I wanted to laugh when his head shot up nervously, which only changed to a narrow-eyed glare when he saw my amused face. "We should play darts or something."

I couldn't communicate with him silently due to my shield. And I didn't want to take chances with shifting it around because I needed it solidly around Archie for his peace of mind. But I also needed to give everyone some space.

"Yeah, we can do that," he agreed, standing up from the table. "Anyone else want to play?"

Edward's offer was sweet, polite, and was taken up by all the girls. Yeah, no big surprise there. Kevin, Tara, and Lacey all followed him into the library.

Faith looked to Archie. "Are you playing?"

"I've never played," he admitted softly but looked over to me.

Grinning, I poked his shoulder playfully. "Come on. It's not my best game, but I'll teach you."

He chuckled a little, standing up when I did. "What's your best game?" he asked.

"Pool." I smiled over at him. "Ask Edward."

The three of us left Ronnie and Dustin with Emmett, Jasper, and Adrian to play their video game. They were so enthralled, that I wasn't sure they even noticed we left.

As we walked by Rose and Alice, Rose chuckled. "We should totally ask for a pool table for Christmas."

I was still laughing when I led Faith and Archie into the library. Tara and Lacey were watching Edward open up the dart board as Kevin took out all the darts we had.

"What's so funny?" Edward asked, wearing a smirk because he knew damn well what we'd said.

"Rose wants a pool table for Christmas," I told him, grinning at his laugh, which caused every girl's eyes in the room to glaze over.

"Archie, she's a pool shark. Don't let her fool you," Edward told him, but then he walked by to speak softly. "Hanging in there?"

Archie nodded fervently. "Is she really?" he asked, and I had to give him credit. He was doing really, really well maintaining not only his behavior, but several different conversations.

"She is," Edward said, shooting me a wink and handing over my personal darts. "Here, sweet girl."

I wanted to grin smugly when he dropped that term of endearment. I wasn't sure if it was done on purpose or not, but it did its job because Lacey's face filled with confusion.

"Come on, Bells...let's play," Kevin boomed from across the room. "Pick your team."

"Okay," I sighed. "Archie and Edward."

"Damn...I'm a dead man." Kevin laughed, shaking his head.

"Don't pick me, Kevin," Tara suddenly piped up. "I'm awful at that game. I'll put holes in the wall...not the board."

We all chuckled at her, especially when her friends nodded wide-eyed in agreement. Tara seemed content to walk around the library once the game started. She eyed the musical instruments on the wall and around the room, but I noticed her eyes kept falling to Edward's piano.

Archie did very well his first few throws. Edward explained how the points worked, how the teams scored, and I taught him how to throw the dart to make it look like he missed. Kevin took the lead on keeping the girls' attention, but I was pretty sure it wasn't working for Faith. She was crushing on poor Archie. Hard.

From the other rooms, I could hear Mrs. Delap deep in discussion with Carlisle and Esme, and my brothers were thoroughly enjoying themselves with new video game partners.

Leaning against the back of the sofa, I kept my eyes on the dart game. Archie was doing okay, and he was still under my shield. Faith and Lacey were completely charmed by Kevin, and it was easy to see why. Kevin was funny, laid-back, and put the girls at ease because it was obvious that he was off limits. Edward, on the other hand, was merely being polite, guiding Archie, teasing Kevin, and encouraging me when it was time for me to throw.

I fought my smile when a heavy arm draped over my shoulders.

"Yes, Edward?" I asked.

"We need twenty points," he sighed forlornly, and I wanted to laugh because the ruthless competitor in my husband hated faking a game.

"So...try," I said with a grin, looking up at his handsome face. "There will be other games, you know."

He laughed, once again catching the attention Lacey...and Tara this time. He shot me a wink before walking up to take his throws.

I heard Tara's approach. It was all I had to rely on, since my shield was around me. She glanced between me and the game, matching my leaning stance against the sofa. I didn't have to read minds like Edward to know what she was putting together in her head. She'd seen us a few times now, so it had to have been obvious.

"You're together..." she surmised in a whisper, though I knew my entire family could hear her.

I gazed over at her as Archie took his turn. My shield shifted a little because she meant well. She was a good person. I wasn't so sure about her friends, but Tara was okay. I had to tug it back, which made Archie feel the shift, and he inhaled sharply but relaxed when I held on.

I knew for a fact how humans saw the Cullens when I first met Edward. I knew that two couples living under the same roof was odd, no matter what. I'd seen it, heard all about it on my first day at Forks High, so I knew that I had to handle this delicately.

When I didn't answer her immediately, she nodded and smiled knowingly. "It's okay. There's a boy at school that stays at a halfway house. He's seeing the girl down the hall. It happens, I suppose."

I chuckled, giving Edward a quick glance, but he was pretending that he wasn't listening. Looking back to Tara, I simply said, "Yes, it happens."

"Do your parents know?" she asked so very softly.

"Yeah, they do."

She smiled. "Cool." Nodding, she gave the library a long, slow gaze, her eyes landing on the piano one more time. "Who plays the piano?" she asked aloud, running a finger down the shiny black surface.

"Edward does," Kevin answered with a grin, smacking Edward's back. "Though he's trying to teach me. But that beauty belongs to him, if that's what you're asking."

Something in Edward's demeanor shifted, and his brow furrowed, his head tilting slightly. But when he spoke, it was kind and soft.

"Do you play?" he asked.

"I used to."

Faith scoffed, her eyes rolling. "Used to..." she snorted. "She's really good. But she doesn't play anymore."

"Yeah, she went to state competitions two years in a row," Lacey added.

Edward chuckled. "You can play it. I don't mind."

"Really?" she asked, blinking up at him.

"Really. Here," he said with a small smile. He pulled out the bench and lifted the cover over the keys.

Archie appeared at my side, speaking low enough that the humans couldn't hear. "Wonder what she's thinking..."

"I don't know," I murmured back, shaking my head.

Tara took a seat, and her hands shook slightly as she placed them over the keys. But what came out of those fingers was completely and utterly impressive...and beautiful. It was Chopin, if I wasn't mistaken – something Edward had played more times than I could count. It was haunting and a touch sad, but as far as I could tell, she never missed a note.

Tara's friends smiled, Edward nodded in approval, his eyebrows raising high, and Kevin grinned and clapped when it was over.

"You say you _used_ to play?" Edward asked, huffing a slight laugh.

"Yeah...I quit."

"Pussy music," we heard from the doorway, and I had to place a hand on Archie's shoulder. His growl was low as he glared at Ronnie.

"And there's why she quit," Faith sang under her breath. "Idiot."

"Um...excuse me, troglodyte?" Kevin sang, wearing a sickly false smile. "No one asked you. No one shook your cage or yanked your chain."

"What the hell's a troglo...whatever?" Ronnie scoffed.

"Here," Kevin said, walking to the bookcase and snatching up a thick book. "Look it up. I'll give you a hint...it starts with t."

Grinning, I shook my head, but it fell quickly when Edward stepped forward, taking the book from Kevin.

"I'll save you the trouble," Edward said, using the tone of voice that was low, soft, but no less menacing than if he was growling the words. "What my brother just called you is a caveman...someone uneducated, classless, rude, and socially inept."

I winced when the rest of my brothers popped up behind Ronnie.

"It's crap music," Ronnie argued, rolling his eyes.

The one person that I didn't expect to speak up commanded the attention of everyone in the room.

"You weren't asked your opinion. She's really good," Archie stated, his voice calm, just like Edward's had been.

Ronnie opened his mouth to speak, stepping closer to Archie. I had to place a hand on Archie's shoulder because I couldn't let Ronnie get too close. Not only would it test all sorts of bloodlust boundaries, but Ronnie would quickly realize that he couldn't touch Archie, and that would be really bad news.

Faith stepped forward, her face fierce. "If you open your mouth in their house, Ronnie, then I hope they all kick your ass. You deserve it for many, many reasons," Faith told him, pointing a finger at him. "And if I miss out on the mall and the movies because you're too ignorant to keep your dumbass opinions to yourself, then I'll kick your ass myself."

"What the fuck ever," Ronnie said with a derisive laugh. He stepped out of the room, and I heard the front door open and close.

Gazing over at Archie, I watched as his contacts blinked away. The venom in his eyes had dissolved them.

"We should get some air, Arch. Okay?" I told him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and guiding him out of the library.

"Okay," he said reluctantly.

I guided him through the house, leaving everyone behind. When we cut through the kitchen, Carlisle stopped us.

"Everything okay, Bella? Archie?" he asked, his gaze flickering between us. I knew that he'd heard what had transpired in the library, but he had to ask in front of Mrs. Delap.

"Everything's fine, but Archie needs some air," I explained before leading us out onto the back deck.

When the door closed, Carlisle spoke to Mrs. Delap, saying, "Archie's our newest foster child. He's a little uncomfortable around people he doesn't know."

"Interesting way to put it, don't you think?" I asked with a chuckle as I sat Archie down on the deck steps. "Okay?"

"Yeah," he sighed with a nod, but his face looked crestfallen.

"Hey..." I shook him a little. "You did amazing. Like really, really well."

His dark eyes met mine, though he didn't look quite convinced. "I wanted to hit him. More than that, I wanted to..."

I laughed softly. "You weren't alone. Trust me. I do believe Edward would've held him down for you."

"Really?"

"Really."

Archie smiled a little at that. "Umm...can I ask you a question?"

"You just did," I teased him, and he grinned. "Go ahead."

"Umm..." He swallowed nervously, looking down at his hands. "What did I miss? I mean...that girl in there..."

I tilted my head at him, but understanding hit me quickly. "Faith," I guessed, and he nodded. "She was flirting with you."

His brow wrinkled, and he looked uncomfortable. "Are all girls so...forward?"

I giggled. "You should have this conversation with the guys, sweetie. Times have changed, or at least that's what Edward continuously tells me."

Archie grinned. "You did the same?"

I shook my head and smiled. "I don't know, Archie. It was different for us. We were mates. I honestly believe it happened the first time we saw each other, so we played by a different set of rules. Our own rules."

"Mates," he sighed, frowning at the word. "But you knew."

"Hey," I whispered, turning to face him. "Yes, I knew. It's okay if you didn't like her flirting. There's nothing wrong with you." He nodded but looked away from me. "It's okay if she made you uncomfortable. You're not used to interacting with humans, let alone dealing with modern girls." I shot him a wink when he glanced up at me. "Archie," I sighed, my nose wrinkling a little. "Girls are taught now to be independent and strong, to take what they want, and to follow their dreams. They can be just as relentless as men when it comes to pursuing the opposite sex, dating, flirting."

"There's no more courting, Archie," I heard behind me, and I snorted into a giggle as Edward sat down with us. "And yes, Bella was a relentless flirt."

"Shut up, Edward!" I laughed, shaking my head, but leaned into the kiss to my temple.

Archie smiled at the two of us, but he looked to Edward. "I didn't like it."

"It can be uncomfortable, especially when you don't feel the same," Edward stated firmly. "But forward women aside," he said with a chuckle, poking me, "you did really well."

"But they're not gone," Archie surmised, "because I can still hear the heartbeats."

"Soon, Archie," I promised.

He nodded but looked to me. "Take it down...your shield. Let me see."

"Hold my hand first," I instructed, understanding that he was simply testing himself. I dropped my shield, and he flinched, inhaling deeply.

He touched his throat with the tips of his fingers, swallowed hard, but looked between me and Edward.

"Yeah, it burns," Edward agreed now that he could hear Archie's thoughts. "But you have to focus on _them_. They have lives and parents and friends. They're only sixteen, seventeen. They have goals and things they still have yet to see. Don't focus on the scent."

"The scent that's getting closer," he said, frowning as he gazed over to the corner of the house.

The acrid smell of cigarette smoke met my nose along with a potent yet sweet scent of blood – blood that was laced with anger and adrenaline. Ronnie walked slowly around from the side the house, his phone in hand and a cigarette hanging from his mouth.

Edward huffed softly, shaking his head. "He's texting yet _another_ girl. He's a walking disease waiting to happen."

"He's mean to Tara," I growled low. "I smell bruises on her. If he wants other girls, why do that?"

Edward sneered but turned to me and Archie. "His home-life is...horrific. Mrs. Delap treats him better than his own mother. He needs that...but he's used to controlling every situation."

"Tara should know," I sighed.

"She does," Edward said with a grimace. "I saw it in her mind when he made fun of her playing."

"Oh, hell," I groaned.

"In fact, she's coming now," Edward said, turning toward the side where Tara was barreling around the corner. "And she's about to call him on it."

Ronnie and Tara were oblivious to us. The were a few yards away, but we could hear them crystal clear.

"So who was that?" Tara asked, her face showing more hurt than anger.

"Warren," he answered, and even from where I was, I could hear the lie kick up his heart rate.

"Liar," she scoffed, rolling her eyes, and turned to leave him. "First Lacey and now...whoever that is."

"What did you call me, bitch?" Ronnie snapped, which caused the men sitting on either side of me to flinch, especially when he reached out and snagged her arm.

Edward moved before I could stop him, but I securely wrapped my shield around Archie, whispering to him. "Not a chance, Archie. Let Edward handle it."

I knew Edward could pull off the human facade in this situation better than any of us. I also knew Archie was itching to help him, because a low, continuous growl vibrated from him.

"Let her go," Edward stated, his face fierce. "Let her go, or I'll make sure her mother sees this."

"You need to mind your own business, motherfucker," Ronnie spat, glancing up when the deck doors opened behind me. My whole family spilled out behind me and Archie. "This is between me and her."

"Not when it's in my yard," Edward sneered. "I _will_ remove your hand from her. Don't doubt me."

"Yo, bro," Emmett called. "You need to some help? Asshole forgetting his manners again?"

"Something like that," Edward said with a dark chuckle.

Ronnie's demeanor darkened until the door slammed open one more time.

"Ronald Irvine...let her go," Mrs. Delap bellowed from the deck. "It's time you and I had a chat. Get in the car. All of you!"

Ronnie released Tara's hand, but his eyes landed on my husband. "This...is _far_ from over," he threatened. "You're dead."

Edward huffed a laugh, shaking his head. "You can try. You won't succeed, but I promise you this... I won't back down like she does," he told him, jerking a thumb behind him. "Though, I get a feeling that she's done with you," he taunted with a chuckle.

My brothers and sisters all laughed, but Dustin pulled Ronnie out of my husband's face, following Mrs. Delap and the girls to the car. In fact, we all followed them around to the front. Tara looked mortified and scared as she glanced between Ronnie and her mother.

Alice came to stand beside me as the Ford Expedition backed out. "He's coming back," she said knowingly. "He knows he's busted. Mrs. Delap is about to put an end to things. He'll want revenge."

Carlisle sighed, looking to Edward, who was still pretty pissed off. "Then we'll be ready. Edward, son...you did the right thing by stepping in."

Edward's nose flared with his temper, but he nodded, clawing at his hair. "He's...trouble."

Emmett snorted, flexing his enormous arms. "Then we'll give him some...trouble. Pixie, you say the word when he's coming."

"Sure thing," Alice sang with a big grin. "Now...let's finish decorating! Boys...get those lights up!"

I groaned right along with everyone else but turned to Archie making sure he was calm again. His face was still pretty solemn. "Awesome job. Got me?"

Archie's grin was slow, sweet, and disbelieving, but he nodded. "Got it, Bella."

"Good," I said, releasing him from my shield and reaching for Edward's hand. "Now, come help me with this last damn tree."

* * *

**A/N... I really hate Ronnie...which is saying something because I dredged him up. Blech. And yeah, he'll be back, like Alice said.**

**Anyway, you gotta love Archie toughing it out with everyone else, even putting up with a flirting girl or two. LOL Poor thing. He's so like Edward sometimes. But imagine the culture shock he's dealing with. Edward's had time and has acclimated over the decades to how girls react, but Archie hasn't had that, so a girl just stepping up and being all cute and shit is a little unnerving. Of course, Edward has the benefit of hearing it coming... Ugh, I can't imagine. LOL**

**And Dirty Edward escaped, if only briefly. It was bound to happen eventually. LOL Sigh...the Volvo never stood a chance. ;)**

**No songs for the playlist this time. Chopin is too depressing for me, but you can add a song if you'd like.**

**I want to wish all my American readers a safe and happy Thanksgiving tomorrow. Try not to kill any unruly relatives...or eat too much...or punch old ladies on Black Friday. I'm not sure it's worth it. ;) But have a wonderful day with your families. Hell, play Truth or Dare! LMAO XD If any of you get naked snow angels out of someone... I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT! Heehee!**

**I'll see you guys on Sunday. Chapter 22 is well underway. In fact, as I write this, it's about halfway done. :) Anyway...big hugs for tomorrow, and until next time... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N... Umm, no. It's not wrong of any of you to hate Ronnie...or really, want to cause him serious harm. He's an ass.**

**Okay, so no one dared anyone to a naked snow angel, but I did get one naked dare where the guy had to walk around saying GOBBLE, GOBBLE! BWAHAHAHA! That's fucking awesome! XD**

**To my firefighters...and everyone, really... There aren't only three chaps to go. I've extended this to at least 30 chaps – give or take one or two. Okay? I'm sure you're okay with that.**

**A question or two... Where's Bella's Ferrari? It's in storage in Washington, and I can't see bringing it across the country. Did Bella's shield block Archie from mating with Tara or one of the other girls? Umm, the answer to that is to keep reading, because Edward didn't miss anything. And lastly... Can Ronnie have an accident, or can Edward kick his ass, or can one of the vamps "accidentally/on-purpose" kill him? LMAO Oh, I love you – my violent friends. We'll see what happens with Ronnie...**

**I'll let you get on with it...**

* * *

Chapter 22

**BELLA**

I giggled, sniffing the air. Edward's scent wafted around our bedroom, but I couldn't see a thing because he'd blindfolded me, sat me down in the chair, and ordered me not to move.

_You know...so not fair. _I huffed, folding my arms across my chest as the scent of evergreen pine met my nose and the sound of something being plugged into the wall met my ears. _The last time I was blindfolded..._

"Isabella..." Edward's voice was a low, warning growl, but there was a smile in there. I could hear it.

Suddenly, I was lifted, deposited into his lap, and kisses were pressed to my cheek.

"Ready?" he asked softly.

I nodded, wearing a stupid grin, I was sure. "Yes!"

When the blindfold was removed, I opened my eyes to a dark room where the only light was from the small Christmas tree across from us. Edward had given us our own tree. It was no more than two and a half feet tall, with multi-colored lights and decorated with just a few of our very own ornaments, but the major color on it was red.

My brow furrowed, but I spun to look at him. "I love it."

He smiled, all shy and sweet. "I just thought...you know, just for us."

"It's perfect," I whispered, glancing from the pretty tree to his even prettier face. That same face was glowing with the colors from the lights, and I cupped either side of it to kiss him softly. "You spoil me," I told him, kissing him again.

He chuckled, rubbing his hands up and down my back. "I try. I like the lights, though."

I nodded in agreement. It was like candlelight but better. It was also the sweetest of gestures because he knew I loved the little things. I also remembered that we loved to turn out every light in our house in London just to leave on the lights of the tree, which reminded me...

"Mistletoe?" I asked with a giggle, cracking up when his beautiful warm honey eyes drifted up and up to stare above the chaise we were sitting in. "You might be the cutest thing I've ever seen," I snorted, shaking my head.

Edward merely grinned. "Might be?"

"I'll get back to you on that. I think I need to handle this mistletoe situation first," I whispered, turning fully in his lap so that I was straddling him.

I knew we were due outside, but that didn't stop me, nor did our family complain. Yet. They were spread all over the house, anyway, wrapped up in various activities until it was time. It was just a week before Christmas, so we were all very mellow. Even Archie was enjoying the lackadaisical feel of the house.

"You know," I breathed against his lips just before I kissed him, "putting it there could be a potentially bad idea."

Edward chuckled darkly, yanking me roughly to him so that we were pressed so very closely. "That's what I'm hoping for..."

Grinning, I said, "I love you."

"Good...now kiss me," he growled dramatically.

It was a good kiss. So very good. It was sweeps over top lips, bottom lips, suckling just enough to cause a purr or a moan. It was turned heads to deepen it, to beg for entrance with sweet, claiming tongues. It didn't escalate to anything other than just more kissing. Fingers threaded into hair, silently keeping us right there, begging not to stop.

Edward's hand cradled the back of my head as mine played with the shorter hairs at the back of his neck. We gripped shirts, caressed thighs, and snuck in brief touches to skin.

"Guys?" someone called from downstairs.

"Go away," we muttered at the same time, and I loomed up on my knees to bring my whole body in contact with Edward's.

"Edward? Bells?" someone called again. "If we're doing this, we gotta get started."

I huffed frustratedly, pressing my forehead to his, and our eyes met. Edward rubbed up and down the outside of my thighs, his eyes so very warm and filled with so much love. But he didn't say anything.

"Don't care," I murmured, kissing him again, practically sighing in contentment because I wasn't sure that kissing Edward wasn't my favorite thing. Ever.

Edward grinned, pulling me back. "First...I _might be_ the cutest thing. And now, you're not sure?"

I laughed. "You're scrambling my brains, Cullen... I can't help it."

He kissed me roughly. "You're forgiven."

"Guys!" they all finally yelled from downstairs.

I growled, scooting back a little and sitting on Edward's knees. "I want Archie's talent. Where can I trade mine in?"

Edward laughed, his head falling back. "You can't, I'm afraid, my silly girl. Believe me, I'd trade mine for anything some days."

My nose wrinkled. "Yeah, I can imagine." I sighed forlornly, gazing up at him. "Guess we're just going to have to push the mistletoe limits later."

Edward smiled, crooked and sexy and secretive, reaching for my face. He turned my head toward the raised area where our bed was, and I snorted into hysterics. Just above our bed was another sprig of mistletoe.

Scrambling down from his lap, I stood up, still laughing. When he stood up in front of me, I tugged him closer.

"Well, there you go. You _are_ the cutest thing I've ever seen."

"Yes!" he hissed, punching the air, and I decided that happy, silly, sweet Edward owned every inch of my heart, body, and soul.

"Silly ass," I chortled, shaking my head and handing him his black hooded sweatshirt. "Come on, before someone has a meltdown downstairs."

I tugged my own hoodie on, but before I could leave the room, he stopped me.

"And favorite pastime?" he asked, wearing the silliest grin yet.

_Kissing and then some, Edward,_ I thought to him, squealing when he picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder.

He laughed on the way down the stairs, saying, "That's what I'm talkin' about."

~oOo~

"No more than ten miles to the east and to the west," Edward stated, pointing in both directions.

"All talents are legal," Emmett grinned, landing a heavy hand on Archie's shoulder.

Edward grinned smugly, placing his own hand on my shoulder. "Indeed."

Carlisle laughed, pointing to the ground. "No jail. All players are out once tagged, and they'll come here to wait out the remainder of the game."

"End of game?" I asked, looking between Jasper and Edward, who took Capture the Flag way too seriously, but it was a helluva lot of fun.

"End of game is either...the capture of all the other opponents, or the capture of the opposing flag, but the flag trumps all," Edward explained, and everyone nodded in agreement.

Jasper rubbed his hands together, grinning like the Cheshire cat, but he turned his attention to Archie, Adrian, and Kevin. "This is a really good training game for all of you. But Archie, it'll teach you to use your talent right along with your other instincts – tracking, stealth, giving chase, and aversion – not to mention the basics of sight, sound, and scent."

Archie nodded, listening intently. "Okay." He was wide eyes and a small smile, but he looked really ready.

"Blue team, ready?" Edward asked, holding up the blue flag and backing us toward the west.

Carlisle, Kevin, and Rose stepped away with us, leaving Jasper to his team. He had Emmett, Archie, Alice, and Adrian. It was damned even teams, that was a fact. We each had advantages in Edward's and Alice's talents, and we were also even with Archie's and my talents. Jasper and Carlisle were amazing strategists, and Rose and Emmett were stealth and strength and persistence. The newest players looked nervous but ready to play. Esme, who detested this game, was sitting out because she didn't like playing against her husband, nor her kids. She was too biased to be fair.

Kevin grinned. "Anything riding on this shit?"

"Losing team are slaves for a day for the winners," Emmett said with an evil grin.

"No!" most of us growled back.

"How about this..." Esme started, holding up a hand. "Each member of the winning team picks someone on the losing team to do whatever it is they want for twenty-four hours. And not your mate," she tacked on the last three words with a finger pointing to Emmett and Rose and then Kevin and Adrian. "It's the holidays. Keep it clean and fun. No mean slavery. The last thing I want to see is someone being forced to do something they don't want to do."

We all were quiet for a moment, but it was Kevin that piped up.

"Okay, so if my team wins...I can pick someone over there to say...I don't know...watch movies all day with or whatever?" he asked her.

"Exactly, but not Adrian. Keep it clean." She smiled a smile that said Mom had spoken and we'd better listen.

Carlisle chuckled. "I like it. The bet is on!" he said with a big grin.

"Excellent. You kids have fun, behave, and I'll be at the house when you're finished," Esme said, giving Carlisle a quick kiss.

Alice shook her head and groaned, and Edward laughed, leaning to my ear. "Alice can't tell who will win. The possibilities are endless when we're playing with this many people. Not to mention, Archie's talent takes away her sight...makes it splotchy."

"Cool," I said, looking up at him.

I was truly looking forward to this game because this would be the first time Edward and I would be on the same team. Usually, they split us up. His speed and mind reading and my shield were hot commodities.

"Me, too," he whispered in my ear. "Shield our decisions, beautiful. Let's go."

I dropped my shield around us all, and he led us quickly through a maze of trees, rocks, and clearings, stopping several miles into our zone before he felt he could discuss strategy. When he stopped, he gathered us around him.

"Bella, I think you and Rose would make the best last defense. Sweet girl, shield this flag," he ordered, handing me the bright blue flag before continuing. "Carlisle, you take the middle. Kevin and I will lead them on a wild goose chase," Edward instructed.

"You're bringing them to me and Rose?" I verified, making sure we were on the same page.

"Yes...if they give chase, we'll bring them to you and Rose to tag out." He grinned and nodded.

"You're not going for the flag; you're taking out the players," Kevin surmised.

Carlisle nodded this time. "It's easier. And it'll take Jasper by surprise. He'll assume with Bella and Edward that they'll go for the flag...most likely together. Shield and speed. He'll plan for it, use Alice to protect it and Emmett as offense."

"Exactly," Edward stated with a single nod. "Let's plant the flag."

We found a place to mount the flag on top of a large boulder, and Edward and Kevin took off into the night, leaving Rose and me to guard it. I could smell Carlisle not far away, and I could sense that Edward was still within ten miles because our connection was still strong.

It was strange not having Alice with me because she could usually give me the play by play of what was going on, so with Rose, we were stuck blind in the dark, waiting for any sound, any movement. We stood guard over the flag with my shield covering it so that even if someone got through, they couldn't take it.

It was a still cold night, but the sound of an unnatural wind caught my ears.

"Edward," I murmured, looking down, but he dropped to the branch beside me.

"Kevin's out," he told us both quietly, but pointed down below where Emmett was eying our flag from a few yards away.

I smiled and started to drop, but Edward stopped me, whispering, "It's a trap. He's not alone."

Rose took a deep breath and smiled. "Adrian," she mouthed, and Edward and I both nodded. "Together. Go!"

All three of us hit the ground silently, and I stayed planted while Edward and Rose split wide. The benefit of playing against your mate was knowing how they planned, thought, reacted. I knew how Edward plotted and allowed for his speed to overtake everything else, but Rose could predict Emmett like we couldn't. And that left Adrian for me.

With quick, silent steps, I placed myself between the way back to the other zone and our flag, keeping my shield solid. It kept my movements limited but the flag completely covered. Grinning when I heard Emmett and Rose and a plethora of curse words rumble off to the south, I scanned the area in front of me.

I smelled Carlisle working his way back and forth not far from me, so with a giant push of my shield, I shoved anyone that was close by toward him. I couldn't help but laugh when Adrian's curse and Carlisle's call of "you're out" met my ears. I immediately pulled the shield back in around myself and the flag, making a slow, silent circle around the small clearing.

The next blur of movement caught my eye high in the tree tops. Jasper and Edward were at full speed, full chase, and I wasn't quite sure who was chasing whom. There were grunts and curses from Jasper, taunting laughs from Edward, and several broken tree limbs smashing to the forest floor. When my husband's feet hit the ground, I swirled my shield around him to keep him in the game, but that still left Jasper untouched.

Edward grinned, coming to stand next to me. He kissed my temple before giving the area a long, slow gaze.

_You can't hear them, but I thought...better safe than sorry._ I thought to him, and he shook his head no and then shrugged.

He leaned in very close to my ear. "Alice is still in. Archie is still in. But we still have Rose and Carlisle."

_And they still have Jasper_, I stated, my nose wrinkling. Jasper was deadly at this game.

We both looked to the north when laughter and foul language echoed through the woods. It sounded like Alice's laugh and Rose's foul language. We also heard two sets of feet hit the ground all around us. We were surrounded.

_Alice and Jasper,_ I told him. _I have an idea..._

I showed Edward what we could do, and he nodded and kissed my forehead before launching himself straight up into the tree behind us. With another big push of my shield, I descended it down around a large area like a fishing net. Moving quickly, I trapped Alice on my right and Jasper on my left, but it was my speedy husband that tagged them out. Edward could hardly be seen as he ran from one side of my shield, around to the other.

Carlisle pushed through the trees in a panic. "We lost Archie!" he hissed, spinning in one spot.

We had one more to find to declare ourselves the winners. But it was the one person that could literally disappear.

A twig snapped to our left, and Carlisle darted toward it. But I had to laugh when another branch snapped on the right because Archie was using everything he had – stealth, speed, and his invisibility, which made him scentless and thought-free. What I didn't realize...he was already under my shield.

"Bella!" Edward called, but it was too late.

When I spun to tackle Archie, he was already standing tall and proud atop the boulder that had our flag. He was twirling it in the air as a big grin spread over his face.

"Damn," I groaned, but I couldn't help but smile up at him. "Well played, Arch! Very well played."

With Jasper's offensive plan and Edward's defensive one, Archie had snuck in without anyone knowing. It had essentially been a giant game of chess, sacrificing players so that one person could take the win. It had been brilliant plans on both sides, but Archie's ability gave him the true advantage over all of us.

"That's what I'm talkin' about!" Emmett boomed, punching the air with his big fist as we all congratulated Archie on his well-deserved win. "Now," he growled with a wicked grin as he rubbed his hands together, "who's my bitch?"

Alice flinched, running to Carlisle and tugging his hand. "We'll pick later. We have to go! Now!" she gushed.

"Damn it," Edward sneered, reaching for my hand. "Looks like Ronnie's back...and he's not alone."

"Esme," I whispered. "She's by herself."

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

The entire family was in a panic as we raced back toward the house. It wasn't that Esme couldn't handle herself in an emergency, but she would have to play a weak human in a situation like this. Carlisle was calling her phone repeatedly but wasn't getting an answer.

Personally, I had faith in my mother. She wasn't stupid, and she'd be able to hear them coming from a mile away – and Ronnie wasn't exactly stealthy. In fact, he was a hot-headed, mouth-breathing, narrow-minded imbecile. I couldn't imagine that any friends he brought were that much better.

As we closed in on the backyard, I visibly relaxed, slowing everyone down, because standing just inside the tree line was Esme. And she looked pissed.

"Esme," Carlisle called her.

"You okay?" I asked.

She nodded, giving the direction back toward the house a scathing look. Her mind was focused more on her anger than the fact that she'd been alone at home. She also showed me how Ronnie and what looked to be four other friends – one of them being Dustin – had snuck onto the property. Parked just down our driveway was a rusty minivan where Tara, Faith, and Lacey all waited inside.

"Oh, you're joking," I groaned, looking to my mother before stepping closer to the edge of the treeline.

A few shadows stalked around the backyard, turning over potted plants and flowers, checking lower windows, and they weren't exactly being quiet, because their thoughts were centered around how the house looked empty, like we weren't home.

"We have a serious problem," Alice and I said at the same time.

"What are we waiting for, Ed?" Emmett growled, his eyes flickering between the kid that was shaking the cellar doors and Carlisle and me.

Carlisle, ignoring Emmett's exuberance, glared up at me. "What problem?"

"They're not here to just scare us...or rob us," I sneered. "They're here to burn the house."

"No!" Bella growled, starting for the backyard, but I caught her up quickly.

"Wait, wait, wait, baby," I breathed against her cheek. "We'll get them. Just wait. We need a quick plan."

"Shit," Jasper sighed, shaking his head. His eyes scanned every inch of the backyard and the shadows roaming it. "We spread out. Get into the house via the upstairs windows."

Carlisle flinched when the cellar doors gave way, only to turn back to us. "Esme, call the police. Tell them we've had a break-in. Adrian, Kevin...take the van in the driveway. Don't scare the girls; just make sure that they don't approach the house. Bella, Edward...go in from your bedroom window. Emmett, Jasper, go in the cellar. Rose and Alice, I'd like you to monitor the woods. The last thing we need is to have someone's child lost in these woods."

We all started to separate, but Archie called out, "Wait!" He swallowed nervously, flinching when something glass shattered inside the house. "They think... I mean, the town thinks this place is haunted, right? So...let's show them that it is."

I chuckled, simply because I couldn't help it. Archie had come so very far. What he'd once used to scare people, to hunt what was inside his home, he now wanted to use to defend it. And he wanted to do it without hurting anyone. He simply wanted to make sure the house didn't get burned down.

"I can't see if he does that," Alice stated, but then she paused for a breath. "Oh...but... It seems to work out in the end."

In her vision, I saw the arrest of all five boys...and unfortunately, the girls in the van. Everyone was in one piece, but the boys looked scared to death.

My slow grin couldn't be stopped, and I turned to Carlisle. "Let him do it, Carlisle. We'll go in with him, make sure he maintains control, but Alice sees that they're unharmed in the end – and arrested."

Carlisle's mind worked quickly as he weighed his options. He was always willing to work with the strengths and talents around him, but he worried that Archie would not handle being this close to humans without Bella's shield. But he couldn't carry out his plan if he was shielded.

"Archie... Son, you be careful. Hold your breath, call if you need us. But...go!" he hissed.

Archie vanished in the blink of an eye.

"We follow him. Stay hidden, stay in the shadows. Let's go," Carlisle ordered.

Jasper and Emmett darted down into the cellar doors and, for dramatic appearances, slammed the doors closed behind them. Esme took Carlisle's phone and was already on the line with the police, explaining that she'd come home to intruders. Alice and Rose planted themselves at opposite sides of the house just inside the treeline, and Kevin and Adrian made their way toward the driveway, using the woods as cover.

Once Bella and I had scaled the outside wall and crawled through one of our bedroom windows in the attic, I stopped her, tilting my head in order to tell where all the players were in this very real game. Five heavy, nervous heartbeats thumped all over the house from different rooms – one was just downstairs on the second floor, one was on the stairway walking this way, another seemed to be coming from Carlisle and Esme's room, and the last two were wandering around between the living room and library.

I had no idea where Archie was. None. I couldn't hear him, see him, or smell him. Anywhere.

I turned to Bella, silently motioning that there was one approaching the door of our room. She smiled evilly and nodded, putting a finger to her lips.

_Hide,_ she instructed, thinking she was going to do a little haunting of her own.

I dove into the bathroom out of sight of the human, though I could see just fine. Bella, however, slipped silently into the closet.

Our door creaked open, and the boy that stepped into the room looked scared as hell. The only thing going through his mind was all the fictitious stories he'd heard about this place his whole life.

"He believes the rumor, love," I said low enough the boy couldn't hear me.

Her giggle was priceless...and practically silent, but her mind was focused.

The teenage boy eyed the room, his focus landing on our stereo, our TV, and my guitar that stood off in the corner. He also noted our pictures on the wall. Once he was clear from the door, Bella shot out her shield, slamming it hard behind him.

"Who's there?" he panted.

Grinning when he spun around, I stepped farther into the shadows of our bathroom because Bella wasn't done. With a gentle touch, she drifted her shield by our pictures, causing all the frames to shake, sway, and rattle against the wall. Unfortunately, one fell to the floor and shattered.

_Dammit!_ She was pissed in her mind, but what she was doing was working. The kid was terrified now, and I decided to help her.

I turned the water on in the shower and the sink, just to let it run at the same time that Bella tossed several books at the boy. That did it. He cried out, launching himself for the door, but my evilly sexy girl held it fast with her shield.

"Let him go, baby," I chuckled under my breath.

She huffed but giggled again when he pulled so hard on the door that he stumbled backwards onto his ass before scrambling out of the room with the intent on getting out of the house completely.

I'd been so wrapped up in what she'd been doing that I gasped at the sound of my brothers' fits of laughter. And they were trying damned hard to stay quiet.

The library was the focus of Ronnie's rage. Especially my piano. He was ransacking the entire room, throwing books off the shelves, turning over lamps, and yanking down the Christmas tree. But Archie was doing what Archie did best – scaring the living hell out of him...and the three other boys with him down there.

Archie's bookshelf door slammed open, only to reveal... Well, nothing, except for a dark stairway down. Books picked themselves up off the floor and hurled at each boys' head. But Archie took it a step further. Apparently, Archie darted around the room, shoving each boy. Hard. Like, so hard they fell to their knees, causing them to drop anything they had in their hands – stolen iPods, laptops, and for Ronnie, the small container of gasoline. Luckily, that didn't break and spill as it rolled across the hardwood floor.

My sisters, feeling a little bit mischievous all on their own, scared the guy in Carlisle and Esme's room through the window. They popped up, slammed the glass just enough to rattle the pane, and then cried out in an eerie voice. My brothers took it upon themselves to kill the power in the house, so the whole place went dark with one dull thunk.

"What the hell!?" someone called out from just below Bella and me.

It seemed we'd trapped a human in Alice and Jasper's room. The boy couldn't see anything.

_Edward!_ Kevin called in my mind. _If you can hear me...the police are on their way. I can hear the sirens._

"We have to get this last one downstairs, Bella," I told her quietly. "The police are almost here."

She nodded, took my hand, and led us down the stairs to Alice and Jasper's room. Using her shield, she slammed open the door, and it made the boy, who I recognized as Dustin, just about jump clean out of his own skin.

"Ronnie!" he called, screaming like a girl when Bella pushed him and shoved him with her shield from every direction. He spun around, finally catching sight of the hallway, and then darted for the stairs. "Fuck this shit!" he huffed. "Let's get the hell out of here!"

When the two downstairs in the library couldn't take it anymore, they abandoned Ronnie.

"Let's go, Ron! Man, this shit ain't worth it!" one of them rambled, tugging on his sleeve, but it only earned him a backhanded smack across the chest. "My brother wasn't lyin'...this place is fucking haunted."

"No...fuck that. I'm finishing this," Ronnie stated, glancing around for his container of gasoline.

His friends left out the front door, leaving him alone in the library. Or at least, he thought he was alone. The cymbals of Emmett's drum kit smashed loudly as Ronnie started to uncap the fuel. Just as he stepped closer to my piano, the lid to the keys lifted, and strings upon strings of notes rang out into the darkness.

"Get out!" Archie howled, obviously running his fingers down the keys again and again, shoving the bench across the floor so that it collided with the sofa.

Ronnie froze, scanning the entire room for something, anything, but he was not thinking clearly. He was too mad and a little too inebriated to make a rational decision.

By the time Bella and I reached the library door, Emmett and Jasper were tucked in the shadows of the stairs leading to Archie's bedroom. The sound of cars approaching met my ears, but mostly, I could hear the long, low growl from Bella as Ronnie got ready to pour gasoline on my piano.

"No, no, no," she chanted under her breath. "Archie, please!" she begged just under her breath.

But she acted on her own at the same time Archie did, which resulted in chaos. The container of gas didn't pour over the piano; it was yanked from his hands before he could open it. And Ronnie fell hard onto his back, but I wasn't sure whether it was Archie's or Bella's doing that dragged his entire body across the floor, through the living room, only to ram his head hard into the front door.

"Oh hell," I muttered, stepping closer to the boy to see check his vitals. He was out cold, but his pulse was strong, his breathing was fine; he was going to have one hell of a headache when he finally woke up.

"Is he..." Archie asked tentatively from behind me.

"He'll be fine," I sighed, standing up to see both he and Bella looking needlessly guilty. "He's just unconscious." I took a deep inhale. "And drunk."

"Well, that'll be perfect. No one will believe them," Jasper stated, joining us with Emmett next to him and glancing out the window. "Dad's talking to the cops. We should get the hell out of here."

I nodded, turning to Emmett. "Text Kevin and Adrian. Tell them to meet us in the woods behind the backyard."

"Gotcha," he said, pulling out his phone.

"Come on... Out Bella's and my window," I instructed them.

We raced up the stairs and had just made it inside the room when the front door finally burst open, causing me to wince because they hit Ronnie's head one more time.

"Damn," I said with a chuckle and a slow shake to my head. "His brain barely functions as it is."

Jasper snorted, smacking my shoulder. "True that, brother. Now, make sure it's clear for us to get the hell out of here."

Grinning, I looked out over the backyard. There were two cops scoping out the cellar doors, not paying much attention to their surroundings, so I turned to everyone in the room.

"Jump. But do it straight over the yard. Okay?" I asked, and they all nodded.

Emmett led the way, followed by Jasper and Bella.

"Go on, Archie," I told him, smiling when he still looked nervous. "You did...fantastic. But let's get out so that the cops think we really weren't home."

He nodded, climbed out of the window, and jumped across the yard. I did the same, landing not far from where Bella and our siblings were congregated.

"We were camping, right?" Alice verified. "Is that what we're going with? That seems to be what Carlisle has decided to tell them."

"Yes," I whispered. "Camping, and Carlisle and Esme left us to come home. It'll explain all the cars in the driveway, and the fact that none of us were around. Okay?"

When all my siblings and Bella were in agreement, I guided us into the backyard and around to the side. But it was Bella that gave the pure innocent voice to that cover story.

"Mom," she gushed, running up to Esme at a human pace. "You okay? We got your message. What happened?"

I wanted to smile at her; instead, I listened to the officer that was watching all of us quietly. He had to be in his forties, with short hair that was graying at the temples. His mind was kind, a touch sad at the turn of events because he'd apparently dealt with Ronnie before – or at least Ronnie's family. But he noted our clothes, our manners, and our calm demeanor, and then he compared it to the boys that were currently sitting in the backs of several cruisers. He even noticed Esme doting on the girls. We weren't the same, and he knew it, but he wasn't sure if that was upbringing or just the difference in kids these days.

"Young," he called out when two officers lugged out a woozy Ronnie out of the house – one carrying the bottle of gasoline in a plastic bag. "What've you got for me?"

"Looks like the kid was gonna burn the place down, Campbell," Office Young stated, holding out the bag with the bottle and also a bag containing what looked like the contents of Ronnie's pockets, which included a couple of lighters.

Officer Campbell cursed under his breath, shaking his head slowly. "They'll try him as an adult. He's eighteen. We've got him and his buddies on B and E, attempted arson, attempted robbery, and vandalism," he rattled off.

"What about them?" Young asked, pointing to a car off to the side.

We all turned to see Faith, Lacey, and Tara in the back of another cruiser. They were complete messes. Sobbing, embarrassed, scared messes. Their minds were reeling with the trouble they'd found themselves in, simply because they'd been in the car when Ronnie had gotten too drunk to listen to reason. They hadn't wanted to come.

I sighed, looking to Bella and then Carlisle. Finally, I turned to Officer Campbell, who seemed to be the man in charge. "Um, excuse me, Officer...Campbell?" I started, pretending to look for the name on his uniform. "Were they in the house, as well?" I asked, knowing they hadn't been.

"Nah, kid," Campbell sighed, frowning over at the car full of girls. "They were found in a van parked down your driveway. They said they didn't want to come, that Ronnie had threatened to leave them in the middle of nowhere."

Kevin snorted derisively, shaking his head. "A gentleman to the end, yeah?" he sneered, glaring over to where they were checking Ronnie's head but reading him his rights at the same time.

Officer Campbell smirked at that, turning his attention to Carlisle. "You know these kids?"

"Actually, I do. Mrs. Delap was the realtor that found us this house. Most of them visited not long ago," Carlisle explained. "I'm afraid that my boys didn't particularly take to Ronnie."

"Meaning you fought," Campbell surmised, looking to me. "Which one of you?"

"Me, sir," I admitted, frowning over at Ronnie, who was glaring out the cruiser window. "I'm afraid I lost my temper with Ronnie. He was... Well, he became rather violent with Tara."

"My son was merely protecting the girl, officer," Carlisle defended. "We don't condone violence in my family. Edward was only doing the right thing."

"Yeah, I get that," the officer sighed with a nod. "Well, it seems you struck a nerve, Edward."

"Well, too damn bad," Emmett said fiercely, stepping forward. "That ass was just about to yank that girl's arm off!" He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Had my brother not stepped in, he could've really hurt her."

My siblings were used to me playing the dutiful son, and this was no different. Bella's hand slipped into mine, and I squeezed it gently.

"It's not the first time he's hurt her," Bella piped up, and Campbell smiled down at her, noting her sweet face, her hand in mine, and her big brown eyes. Her features reminded him of his wife at home. "We saw him treat her...cruelly at the Halloween festival."

"Is that right?" Campbell verified. "Well, maybe she _is_ scared of him..." he mused softly to himself.

"You should speak with the girl's mother," Esme added with a nod, her arms around Alice's shoulders. "I'd be willing to bet she was not happy with Ronnie when they left that day."

Campbell sighed, shaking his head. "It's no excuse, I know, but Ronnie has not had the same...surroundings as you kids have had. Understand?"

We all nodded dutifully, but my brow furrowed. I'd seen Ronnie's mind about his home life before, but to see it from an officer's point of view was disturbing. Apparently, Ronnie's mother had a drug habit that was widely known throughout the small town. His father was in and out of his life – and it was better when he was out. Both parents treated Ronnie like he didn't exist...until the drugs ran out. Once they were itching for a fix, then it was up to Ronnie to find it, provide it...in any way possible. He was their dealer, if only to keep the peace.

I grimaced but glanced up when another car pulled into the driveway. "Oh, hell..."

"Mrs. Delap is here," Officer Young stated.

"Good. Release the girls into her custody, but let her know that the boys are coming down to the station," Campbell commanded and then turned back to Carlisle. "You had good timing tonight. I can't imagine what you'd have come home to had you been a few minutes later."

"It's scary to think about," Esme murmured, giving the house a glance, only to turn her attention to us. "Come on, kids. Let's go clean up." As we all started to do as she requested, she turned to the policeman. "Merry Christmas, Officer Campbell."

He smiled, nodded her way. "Merry Christmas, ma'am."

~oOo~

Smiling down at my phone, I swiftly typed out a message and hit send. I glanced across the chessboard at Alice, smiling when she nodded excitedly.

_You'll get mad kisses for this, you know, _she teased me, giving me a wink.

"I already do," I countered smugly, laughing when she threw a pawn at me.

"Just play!"

It was a blur of motion on the table. My move, her move, my move, her move...checkmate.

"Dammit," I sighed, shaking my head. "This is futile, you know."

She grinned knowingly but shrugged a shoulder. _Sue me, Edward. I've missed hanging out with you._

It was the night after the arrest of Ronnie and his friends. The winning team from Capture the Flag had picked their partners for the day once the police had pulled out of the driveway. Alice picked me. And I had to admit, it had been a long time since the two of us had just hung out all day. She'd been my best friend in the family almost from the moment she'd arrived on our doorstep, despite the fact that she'd stolen my room. We were different – freaks, according to her words – and it was a companionship that had thrived throughout the decades. The arrival of Bella in our lives changed everything – every dynamic, every emotion, and the closeness of our friendship.

The rest of the house was just as paired off. Emmett had chosen Bella, so they were way deep in a violent Call of Duty battle. Though, he had major plans for her before the twenty-four hours was up, which would be in another two hours and fifty-three minutes – not that I was counting, but I did miss my sweet girl's touch. Bella and Emmett had already hunted together, wrestled – only to give it up when Bella kept pinning him – and now were battling the online world in the living room. I was truly interested to see his last idea, but I kept it quiet.

Carlisle was with Adrian. They'd taken off somewhere for the day. Personally, I think Carlisle was just testing him, seeing how he was faring with the family dynamic, how he handled humans in public, and basically was getting to know him – all without anyone listening in.

Jasper took Kevin hunting – serious hunting. They were currently deep into Canada, according to the last message Jasper had sent Alice. They were going as far as New Brunswick, only to do something Kevin had wanted to do for a very long time. Jasper was going to get Kevin his very own guitar. It was an early Christmas present of sorts. They'd left immediately, so I expected them back soon.

And finally, Archie, who had been showered with all sorts of praise with how he'd handled the Ronnie incident, had chosen Rose, which was interesting to everyone, but I think he just wanted to get to know her. Currently, she was teaching him how to give every car in the driveway a tune up. But it was more than that. She was telling him all sorts of stories about us from over the years as they worked. Most were humorous, some were just examples of how we struggled with what we were, and others were just to help him see how times had changed throughout the decades. At the moment, though, she was preparing him for something much sooner in the future.

Esme, however, was on a secret mission for me. And it was all I could do not to text her again.

_Stop it_. Alice laughed. _First, you'll ruin the surprise. Second, you have to have patience, big brother._

Smirking at her old nickname for me because technically, we were almost the same damn age, I nodded silently, giving the library a long, slow gaze. We'd cleaned up Ronnie's mess, though we'd lost a lamp and a vase in the process. Gratefully, I was glad my piano was in one piece. I wasn't quite sure how my Bella would've reacted if anything had happened to it.

"You haven't called me that in a long time," I told her softly.

"I know," she sighed, smiling sadly. "It's how we see you, even Jasper."

"I know." I nodded, shrugging a shoulder and remembering a time when the Major had intimidated me, but I'd had to be the one to guide him in this diet, help him with his struggle. Alice had been committed, but Jasper had been unsure of himself. Even Emmett and Rose had relied on me. It was a heavy burden and a huge responsibility that I'd shared with Carlisle, but they all had come to feel like I was the oldest, even when I wasn't. It was simply because I'd been here first, and they all felt I had as much control, if not more, than Carlisle. "Sometimes, I felt...younger."

She stood up, holding out her hand for me, and I took it. She knew why I felt that way. Years of watching three couples revel in their perfect relationships. It was the one thing I knew nothing about, yet saw everything through their minds. I was an outsider, an intruder, and a nuisance when it came down to it.

Alice smiled again, only she communicated silently. _Hey, remember coming home that first day after __you talked to Bella?_

"Yes." I chuckled, suddenly knowing what she wanted. "Come on, Ali..."

I tugged her to the piano, and we sat down. She laid her head on my shoulder, sighing deeply.

"Ready?" I asked, smiling at her laugh. She sat up, placing her hands on the keys in front of her.

"Heart and Soul" had never sounded so complex, but it was the only song Alice would allow me to teach her. Ever. Although, she'd played an integral part in helping me with Bella's lullaby.

The day she'd mentioned was still clear in my head. My confusion over how I'd felt for a human girl had been palpable, but I'd been...excited that the beautiful brunette continued to talk to me, smile at me, and by the time I'd made it home that day, I couldn't get to the piano quickly enough because new notes, a new idea, had been rattling around in my head my entire time with Bella. And I hadn't touched the thing in ages prior to that day. I'd fiddled around with Bella's song, and Alice had countered with a humming melody. When I'd settled down, she'd played "Heart and Soul" with me...just like she was doing then.

Smiling when the song only spiraled into even louder and more complex, I turned to look at her, but movement in the doorway, along with the scent of freesias and strawberries, caught my attention.

"Well, that's a new development," Bella teased us both, making Emmett laugh.

"Don't hate!" Alice huffed, and we stopped the song that could, in reality, go one forever without stopping. "It's the only song I know!"

"It's not new, Bells," Emmett said with a chuckle. "It's been a long time... What's that? Ten years, Eddie?"

Chuckling, I shrugged a shoulder. "I suppose so."

My head shot up to Bella when recognition swirled around in her thoughts. She remembered my journal, remembered me writing about playing with Alice. Her brow furrowed, but she didn't have a chance to say anything because our brother was guiding her across to his drum kit.

"Sit, baby girl," he ordered.

"Oh, no!" she balked, shaking her head and backing away. "I'll break it...I can't play those, Em."

"Yes, you damn well can," Emmett told her with a laugh. "And anything you break, I can fix."

Alice giggled at them, but her mind saw a vision of Bella at least attempting to play.

Smiling, I met my girl's gaze. "Love, you can at least try. If you've watched him play, then you at least can mimic him."

Understanding smoothed out her wrinkled brow. "Really?"

"Sure," Emmett answered, sitting her down on the stool and handing her his sticks. "Eddie...something easy...bluesy," he told me.

As I played just a simple melody, Emmett instructed Bella. She followed them to a tee, even though she was extremely uncomfortable doing it. But I was proud that she was at least trying. By the time she'd attempted a few different types of beats, Kevin and Jasper strolled into the room, a new guitar case on Kevin's shoulder. Carlisle and Adrian were right behind them.

Despite the bet that we should've been fulfilling, the entire family – with the exception of Esme – gathered together. Music took over for the rest of the night. We tried to get Bella to continue to play, but she wouldn't hear of it. Alice got up to sit with Jasper, Adrian admired Kevin's new guitar, and Bella curled into my side.

Not long before dawn, Rose and Archie joined us after cleaning up. Archie's mind was worried, but I shook my head at him. Thanks to Alice, I knew this would work out, despite the fact that it was touchy for her to visualize.

When we heard the Mercedes pull into the driveway, it wasn't the fact that Esme was home that had everyone perking up their ears. It was the sound of heartbeats.

"Who's with Esme?" Bella asked, but her mind knew that heartbeat. She recognized the scent that was now coming through the front door. She spun her head to glare at me. "You didn't!" she gasped.

Chuckling, I cupped her gorgeous face in my hands. "I did. Merry Christmas, my sweet, sweet girl."

"Merry Christmas, Bella," Carlisle said with a grin.

But it was the man in the doorway that was the most important thing. Bella was suddenly off the piano bench and in his embrace.

"Dad!" she gushed, squealing when Charlie picked her up and swung her around.

"Bells," he sighed in what seemed to be relief at seeing her. "Am I glad to see you."

When he set her down, he stepped aside to show her that he wasn't her only gift. Standing behind him were Jacob, Seth, and Anna.

"No way!" she gasped, and I laughed again because she hadn't seen them in what felt like forever to her.

As Bella was enveloped in hugs from her step-brother, Jake, and Anna, the rest of the family got up to greet Charlie, who gave me a rough one-armed hug.

"Son, it's nice to see you," he told me, his mustache twitching with his sincere smile. "How'd you keep it from her?"

"I'm the mind reader, not Bella," I teased, poking my wife's shoulder.

She launched herself at me, whispering, "Edward...thank you so much!"

I kissed her forehead. "You're very welcome, love."

Charlie clapped his hands together once, getting all of our attention. "Okay, so...where are these new family members I haven't met?"

Carlisle chuckled but turned to face the room. Kevin and Adrian were up front and center, but Archie was...

_Gone._

* * *

**A/N... SQUEE! Charlie's there! And so are Jake and Seth and Anna. Awesome present from Edward, yes? ;D**

**So some Capture the Flag with the family, a bet lost, and Ronnie and his buddies are off to jail. Not to mention Archie handled all of that with style and grace. LOL But he's disappeared on them with Charlie and the gang there. Maybe a little too much? Or is it something else?**

**There are no songs added to the playlist, but there will be some next chapter.**

**Chapter 23 is well underway. In fact, it's almost done. So the next posting should be Wednesday. I've been posting some teasers on FB in JenRar's and my private group, Sarge's Girls. Feel free to friend me and let me know if you want in. I'll add you. We have a good time over there – pics, fic recs, and all around perviness. LOL ;)**

**Okay, until next time... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N... Some of you have some truly wild imaginations! LOL Gracious. I heard every theory in the book, when really, Archie's disappearance is very simple.**

**And you're all in such a hurry to mate Archie off! ;) I thought I was the romantic!**

**I will warn you this is all in Bella's POV, that is emotional and a rollercoaster of all sorts of feelings, but mostly it's a lot of fun and a lot of Charlie time! :D**

**Now...let's see what happened to our Archie, hmm?**

* * *

Chapter 23

**BELLA**

The sound of Esme pulling into the driveway met my ears. She'd been gone for most of the day, but no one had spoken of why. I'd assumed she was Christmas shopping. But it was the sound of heartbeats that caught my attention, making me ask who was with her.

I froze at the scent that met my nose. I _knew_ that smell. It was as familiar as Edward's – or even my own – scent.

Spinning to face my now-very smug husband, I gasped, "You didn't!"

His smile, his sweet chuckle, and his very, very warm honey-colored eyes told me everything as he cupped my face. "I did. Merry Christmas, my sweet, sweet girl."

I barely heard Carlisle echo that sentiment, because standing in the doorway was someone I hadn't seen in quite some time. Charlie looked amazing – though, inevitably older – and so very happy to see me as I launched myself into his arms.

"Dad!"

I was afraid I might've been too rough, but Charlie didn't seem to care as he lifted me up and spun me around. I barely noticed the scent of his blood, the sound of his thumping heart, because the feel of warmth and home and comfort was almost overwhelming.

His arms shook as he sighed my name. "Am I glad to see you."

Somewhere in the back of my mind I sensed he wasn't alone. It was a scent that should've set me on edge, should've kicked my instincts in, but it didn't. So when I caught sight of Jacob, Seth, and Anna, my mouth fell open as I was pulled into extremely large, extremely warm hugs.

"Son, it's nice to see you," I heard my dad tell Edward. "How'd you keep it from her?"

"I'm the mind reader, not Bella," he said with a chuckle, poking me in order to get my attention.

It took all I had, every bit of my restraint to not kiss Edward senseless right there in front of everyone. However, there was some mistletoe that I seriously needed to give some attention to later. Instead, I hugged him fiercely, thanking him. I knew he'd been up to something. He'd been on his phone and on the computer a lot more than usual, and he'd even walked Esme to her car. I was used to his secretive demeanor around the holidays, but this... This was just...perfect.

A soft kiss brushed across my forehead. "You're very welcome, love," he whispered against my skin.

"Okay, so...where are these new family members I haven't met?" my dad asked, causing Jake and Seth to laugh as they greeted the rest of my family because they'd told him tons about Kevin and Adrian, but I had a feeling Charlie was more interested in Archie – the cause of so much trouble a few weeks ago.

Carlisle chucked, placing a hand on Charlie's shoulder as Adrian and Kevin stepped forward.

"Charlie, meet Adrian and Kevin," he introduced. "Boys, this is Bella's father, Charlie. I think you know Jake and Seth from our time in New York, but that lovely lady in the back is Jacob's wife, Anna."

"Hey!" she chirped, and I had to smile because she looked excited to be here.

There were a round of handshakes and greetings between the boys, but Kevin being...well, Kevin, a little bit of the nerves edged away when he couldn't stop his unfiltered mouth.

"Goodness!" Kevin gasped, placing a hand over his still heart and grinning like a fool. He glanced between Charlie and me, but turned to my dad. "Well, there's no need for Maury Povich here. You are _definitely _the father."

I giggled, looking up to my dad. I wanted to laugh even harder as realization registered across his usually stoic face. He nodded to Kevin, clearly amused, but then glanced between him and Adrian over and over.

"There it is!" Jake burst into laughter. "It was like watching a light bulb turn on."

"Shut up, Jake," Anna huffed, rolling her eyes. "It's nice to meet you both. I've heard tons about you."

"Nice to meet you, too," Adrian and Kevin said together.

Carlisle turned toward the rest of my family, but his brow furrowed at the sight of the open bookcase door. He grimaced a little, looking to Edward.

"Oh boy..." My husband sighed. "I was afraid of that," he murmured, looking to me. "Archie disappeared."

"Oh," I groaned sadly.

"He left?" Anna asked.

"No," I said, turning to her. "He's still here. He's very...talented, but tentative. I'm willing to bet the boys here scared him. Their scent will be new and potent to him." I gestured to Seth and Jake.

"Did you tell him about us, big sis?" Seth asked, looking around the room.

"We did, but he's..." Edward didn't finish that sentence; instead, he waved Seth forward. Placing a hand on his shoulder, he faced the room. "Archie, there's no need to hide. These are the friends we told you about. This is Seth...and over there is Jake."

"Archie, please?" I asked nicely.

"I know they smell different, but if you'll show yourself, I'll explain, son," Carlisle added.

The bookcase door thumped, but Archie appeared out of thin air. His eyes were on Edward. "I'm sorry."

Anna cooed, just like my sisters and I had the first time we'd seen him. His face just screamed sweet and innocent and utterly adorable.

"There's no need to apologize, Archie," Carlisle told him. "It's true. Your instincts will tell you that these two gentlemen are your natural enemies, but there's no need to worry. They won't harm you."

Archie frowned, his eyes dark as he glanced between Seth and Jake, but his eyes locked onto Jacob. "You... You hurt her," he accused, pointing to me.

Jake's nose wrinkled, but he nodded, shoving his hands into his front pockets. "I did." He looked to Edward, who shook his head once. "It's... I know there's no excuse. It's something I live with every day."

Carlisle turned to Charlie. "He's very protective...of Bella and Edward, especially. They've helped him acclimate."

I walked to Archie, holding my hand out. "I've told you, Arch...Jake has more than made up for what he did. It was a long time ago. But I'd like you to meet my dad. He knows about us. You don't have to hide around him." He slipped his hand into mine gently, and I gave it a squeeze. "You don't have to go near Seth and Jake. But Anna and Charlie...they're no different than the kids that were here the other night. Okay?"

"Okay." He nodded, looking to me nervously.

"You need my shield?" I asked, guiding him across the room.

"I'm okay."

Charlie must've taken pity on him because he met us in the middle of the room. Archie bravely met my father's gaze, holding out his hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," he said, all manners and formality. And something about that reminded me so much of Edward, who snorted softly at my thoughts.

Charlie's mustache twitched. "You, too. Archie, is it?"

"Yes, sir."

"That's... That was impressive, Archie," he praised him, gesturing toward the bookcase door.

Archie's slow smile caused a chuckle throughout the room. "That's just...me."

"Yeah, it is," Emmett boomed. "Archie scared the shit out of us the first few weeks."

"Emmett!" Esme chided, rolling her eyes, but the ice was broken.

Anna giggled and stepped up beside me. "I'm Anna. And don't let those two knuckleheads scare you. They're all _bark_ and _no bite_."

Jake snorted but nodded. I could see there was a part of him that was cautiously watching Archie with his Anna. It was to be expected. He didn't know him.

Archie grinned at her, but gazed up at my very tall stepbrother.

"I'm Seth Clearwater, Bella's stepbrother," he introduced himself, placing a hand on my shoulder, which Archie eyed briefly. "Charlie married my mom."

Of all the people in the room, Seth was perfect to deal with Archie. He was sweet and kind and calm. He also was the one that had changed the most since I'd seen him in New York for the whole Tanya debacle. Gone was the roundness to his sweet baby face, and in its place was handsome, sharper, older dark features. But his smile was exactly the same – genuine and almost childlike. Seth was every bit as tall as Jake, but the difference between the two was massive. Jake radiated control and Alpha dog, whereas Seth was just there for the fun of it all.

"Speaking of... Where is Sue?" I asked, turning to my dad, but it was Anna that answered.

"She wanted to come and sends her love, but she's taking care of Izzy and Eddie until we go back," she said, wearing a small smile.

"Yes," Edward murmured to Archie. "Jake and Anna named their children after Bella and me."

"We're their godparents," I added, grinning in spite of myself, because I loved that title.

"Well, yeah!" Jacob scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You can watch over them...well, _always_ if something happens to me or Anna."

Edward chuckled. "That's very true."

That seemed to catch Archie's attention, and he tilted his head up to Jake. "I apologize for my reaction earlier."

"No sweat, Archie," Jake said, smiling at him and waving a hand. "_Your_ reaction is normal. _Theirs_...not so much," he teased, poking my shoulder, which caused me to laugh.

"Oh ho! Them's fightin' words, Jake," Emmett guffawed, rubbing his hands together.

"Bring it, Em!" Jake laughed. "A little football?"

"Play fair, boys!" Esme stated. "I'll get started on lunch."

"You need some help?" I offered, but she was already shaking her head no.

"Absolutely not! Go be with Charlie," she whispered, kissing my cheek.

I turned to my dad and Anna. "Come on, guys. I'll show you around, tell you all about this place."

~oOo~

"Oh my God, Bella was so pissed," Seth gushed, laughing hard and shaking his head. "One second, she's holding her own, and the next, Jasper's tearing her a new one...snapped her wrist."

"Not as pissed as Edward." Jacob cracked the hell up.

I groaned at the sharing of New York stories, wearing a disgusted look on my face. "God, I've never smelled so bad in all my life. Stupid sewer."

"Yeah...that was pretty bad," Edward chimed in with a grimace, giving my wedding ring a slow, lazy turn as we sat on the loveseat together. "Glad that was a rental car."

The whole room cracked up as we sat around while Esme's food was consumed with exuberance. We were spread all over the living room and dining room. Most of the boys had spent the afternoon playing football until it started to snow. Charlie and Anna had loved the house, but even better was that Archie had taken to them instantly. Especially when he heard that they'd recently spoken to the Dixons, that Caroline and her father were doing okay. It was something we hadn't really told him. Archie had a hard time realizing that the little girl he'd narrowly avoided killing was about to turn eighteen.

Archie also stayed clear of Seth and Jake until Jake finally told him why the scent was making him jumpy. He offered to show him what they truly were. So with Emmett, Edward, and Carlisle by his side, he watched as Seth and Jake transformed into giant wolves. I'd forgotten the sheer size of them, but Archie – thanks to Jasper – stayed calm. When Anna and I walked up to Seth and Jake, the two large dogs lowering their heads so that we could scratch their ears, Archie finally relaxed. But he still liked Seth better.

Archie's loyalty to Edward and me made his dislike of Jacob and our complicated past something he may never overcome. Edward had said to just give it time.

"Damn, I thought I was a dead man. I thought Ed would kill me, for real," Jasper whispered, squeezing his eyes closed. "And it wasn't even my fault."

Burying my giggle into Edward's neck, I thought to him, _My over-protective, fierce guardian angel._

Edward snorted but raised an eyebrow at me. "Maybe, but it looked so...messed up from my point of view."

I merely grinned and held up my wrist. "All fine, Edward."

"You're all so close," Anna said, setting her fork down. "I can't imagine you fighting."

"You've met Emmett, right?" Rose asked. "No one can push buttons like he can."

My biggest brother grinned, shrugging a shoulder. "Everyone has a talent."

Charlie choked on that statement, turning to give Emmett a side glance. "It's good to have goals, son."

Edward chuckled. "Don't encourage him. He doesn't need it."

I loved the feel of my dad in the room. It felt right, good. Talking to him on the phone every other week was fine, but I hadn't realized just how much I'd needed to set eyes on him. And I loved the fact that I got to keep him and my friends for the next two days. They'd all promised the kids that they'd be back by Christmas morning, so they were leaving us Christmas Eve. Since they'd be staying at the small hotel in Caribou, that gave me today and the next day.

Edward's head turned toward Archie, who had been silently absorbing the feel of the room. "No, Archie, the fact that Charlie knows about us won't get him or us in trouble. Marcus is aware. Jake is the chief of the Quileute tribe, and their shapeshifting is a secret all its own. When Charlie remarried, he married into the tribe, so he was allowed in on all its legends."

Charlie watched as Edward explained, not bothering to interrupt.

"We'd had to fake Bella's death at one point," Carlisle continued. "But circumstances changed when we needed to join forces with the wolves to protect the Pacific Northwest."

"Did you think _she_ was a ghost?" Archie asked my dad, wearing a sly grin when the family laughed.

"Yeah, he did," Jake said with a chuckle. "But then Bells got all fierce and shit..."

I snorted, rolled my eyes and turned to Archie. "He's exaggerating."

"No, he's not," my dad snorted, but his eyes landed on Archie. "I felt the need to blame someone. I blamed Edward at first."

"Oh." Archie stated that with a grimace and a finality that made me laugh.

"But when they explained to me exactly how she'd come to be...this," Charlie continued, "then I understood that I really could have lost her permanently. I'll take this over truly losing her any day."

Edward's fingers linked with mine, giving my hand a squeeze at the same time he pressed a long, slow kiss to the back of my head. I leaned into it because that had to have been Edward's darkest hour, the near miss with Victoria.

"It was," he breathed in my ear.

"Bella protecting Heavy E?" Kevin gasped. "No! I can't imagine..."

I snorted into a laugh. "Shut up, Kev."

When the humans were finished with their lunch, I offered to clean up, but I received help from Seth. He happily brought me up to date on all the goings on with the pack. He rattled on about his imprint, Lexi, and how they were planning to get married soon, which was a shock to me because he would always be my little brother.

The biggest news was concerning Jessica. She and Quil had two children together – a little boy and a little girl. She'd sent her love our way, making sure that Seth gave me all the updates that I'd find interesting. The first had been about her friend Megan, who had mated with Tanya's ex, Mark. We'd found her in New York after she'd been changed by the same man that had changed Adrian – Lord Sinclair. Megan had been terrified to see Jessica, thinking that her old friend wouldn't understand what she'd become. But apparently, the wolves had caught their scent in the area not too long ago. When Seth and Jake realized who it was, they stopped them, begged them to see Jessica. And they had.

Megan had been nervous, but she'd gone willingly. It was a good reunion. Jessica was able to tell her friend the things we had been unable to say. They now kept in touch on a regular basis, and Mark and Megan now resided just over the Canada border.

Seth also told me about Lauren Mallory, who had been living in California the last I'd heard. She was now vice-president of the bank at which she'd been working and was engaged to be married soon. Lastly, he mentioned that Angela and Ben Cheney were doing really well. Ben had gotten in on the ground floor of an internet company, and they were now living in Seattle.

"Then there's Mike Newton," Seth murmured, rolling his eyes.

"Please, don't mention Mike Newton in this house. I'll never hear the end of it," I growled, slamming a pot just a little too hard into the drainer.

But of course, that statement resulted in hysterical laughter all over the damn house – my husband's included.

"I hate you all," I snarled, turning to Seth. "What?! What about Mike Newton could possibly interest me?"

What was sad was the sound of fast feet aiming their way toward the kitchen. I didn't even have to look. Rose and Alice were waiting for the next words to pop out of Seth's mouth.

"Relax, sunshine," Jacob teased, following my sisters into the kitchen. "Mike thinks you're dead, remember?"

"Whatever. Wish he'd thought I was dead in high school," I ground out through gritted teeth. "Tell me again why you didn't kick his ass the night we went to the movies?" I asked him, pointing a rather large butcher knife his way.

"Because you'd have been pissed at me. And because I was running a fever of like...a hundred and ten," Jake said, speaking slowly like I was a child.

Narrowing my eyes at him, I huffed, jamming the knife back into its slot on the knife block. "That's no excuse."

Jacob grinned his big friendly grin. "You say that now. When I go home, I'll make sure to whip his ass for you. It'll be the best Christmas present I've ever given you. In wolf form or not?"

"Don't care," I grunted, turning back to wipe down the counters.

"Anyway," Seth sang, turning me to face him. "Side-track much?" he asked, laughing when I shrugged. "Jessica wanted me to tell you that Mike is doing fine, that his little girl is beautiful, and that he's slowly settling down with a new teacher at Forks Elementary."

"Could've gone a century without knowing," I murmured, which only caused Edward to bark a laugh somewhere in the house.

"And...he's also requested a memorial be built in your honor at Forks High," Seth sputtered out quickly.

I closed my eyes and leaned on the kitchen counter, my fingers digging into the marble surface. "Charlie Swan! If you allow that shit..."

"I'm not! I swear, Bells!" My dad's voice sounded amused and scared at the same time. "Considering I am...or 'was' your closest living relative, they have to put it through me first."

Just as I feared, my brothers didn't let that shit go for a second. Immediately, they started discussing just what type of memorial it would be – a fountain, a naked statue, a bird bath, or the eternal flame, like JFK. That last suggestion caused most of the boys to start singing the song "Eternal Flame" by the Bangles, all in overly-dramatic girlie voices.

"Oh, for crying out loud," I sighed, shaking my head at the uproar of laughter that rang throughout the house. By the time I made it into the library where everyone else was congregated, Edward was laughing way too hard.

"I vote fountain statue...in the shape of a mer..." He stopped, his face sobering up when he caught a glimpse of me in the doorway. "Maid," he finished softly, though his eyes dropped to the book in his lap. Never mind that our brothers were in heaps of laughter.

_Edward Anthony Masen Cullen! You're in so much trouble. I can't even begin to tell you how much. __You'd really encourage them? Really? _I asked him silently, making him flinch at his full name.

Charlie grinned, patting Edward on the shoulder. "May the Force be with you."

"Oh, Heavy E...tsk, tsk, tsk," Kevin sighed dramatically, shaking his head back and forth slowly. "It's a good thing we don't sleep, because you'd truly be camping outside tonight."

"Hmm," I hummed in agreement, thinking that wasn't a bad idea, anyway.

Edward's head shot up. "What? No! Bella, I was only teasing."

My eye twitched at his begging, which only amused my dad that much more.

"Yo, Archie..." Emmett whispered. "Watch this shit... Watch the baby work it hard and make Eddie earn it. You haven't seen these two fight."

Whether Edward heard him or not, I had no idea, because I knew him well enough that he hated when I was pissed. I wasn't really pissed, but I detested being teased about Newton, whose crush never seemed to end, and I wasn't so sure that Jasper wasn't feeding Edward all sorts of mischief. I sealed off my thoughts from him, which only made him pout that much more.

"Mike? He's funny to them. He shouldn't be funny to you. If I remember correctly, _you_ wanted to shatter every bone in his body," I huffed.

"Did you?" Charlie asked, a laugh barking from him.

"Yeah...well...he followed her around like a lost puppy," Edward explained, wearing a grimace. "The guy couldn't take no for an answer from her."

"More like a starving stray," I grumbled, folding my arms across my chest.

"That offends me," Seth piped in, grinning, but he ducked when Anna smacked his head.

Edward's eyes locked with mine. "I meant no offense, Bella. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, it's just Mike," Jasper piped up. "Although, turnabout is fair play. Shall we remind Eddie of all the crushes on him?"

I raised an eyebrow at Edward, who groaned, his fingers sinking into his hair.

"We could, but we'd be here all night," I responded. "There's..."

"No, no, no..." Edward whined. "Okay, okay! I'm sorry. It'll never happen again. Just...don't bring up Tanya or the principal with the mole or Lauren Mallory or Henry from Rochester..."

"Henry?!" Charlie, Jake, Seth, and Anna all bellowed.

I laughed softly, remembering the rather large boy from New York. "I liked Henry."

_It works both ways, Edward, _I thought to him, and he nodded fervently. _I don't like it any more than you do._

The face that gazed up my way caused every woman in the room to groan and every man to scoff. It was beyond pitiful. It was puppy eyes and long eyelashes. It was a pouting lip and a deep sigh. It was a wrinkled brow and hands that couldn't be still, so they thumbed through the book in his lap. He looked every bit his seventeen years of age and absolutely terrified.

"I can't believe that works," Emmett chortled.

Esme laughed softly. "Of course it does. It worked on me, too."

"Unbelievable," I muttered, rolling my eyes, because there wasn't a force on this green Earth that could stop what _that look_ did to me, to my insides. And Edward Cullen knew it. He used it to his advantage in the most dire of situations.

Charlie laughed. "Okay, gotta remember that face when I accidentally forget my wet towel on the bathroom floor."

"He uses it then, too," I said, pointing in Edward's direction, which caused my husband to grin. "Next time you think Mike is funny, I'm going to have Emmett tell me about every girl that's ever pined over you. In front of you!"

Edward laughed, his head falling back. "Mike Newton...forbidden subject. Got it, love."

"FYI," Alice chirped, wearing a silly smile, "they turn Mike down for the memorial."

I sighed, shaking my head. "Well, thank God for small favors."

~oOo~

"You guys don't do anything small, do you?" Charlie chuckled the next morning, gazing around the backyard.

I laughed a little as I stoked the fire in the fire pit Jasper had brought out of the garage after my dad, Anna, Jake, and Seth had left for their hotel the night before. We'd moved all the chairs, chaises, and loungers around it from the deck.

"Uh, no," I finally answered him, "but we really can't do small. There are ten of us. Eleven, if you count Archie."

"Archie," he mused, rubbing his mustache. "He's had rough time, huh?"

"Yeah, pretty bad," I sighed, sitting next to him and explaining all that Archie had been through – from his father on down to Victoria.

"Oh," Charlie groaned, looking over at me. "So the Dixons..."

"Unfortunately," I told him with a nod. "In his defense, he didn't want to, but his fears, what he is, and his lack of...nourishment up until Lisa Dixon cut herself in her kitchen was snowballing into something he couldn't control."

"Have you ever felt that way?" he asked, and I could see he was merely curious.

"No, but my shield helped me through the beginning," I explained. "Well, that and I wanted this life. Carlisle thinks that when you're prepared, when you know what you're getting into, it makes the transition easier. Kevin was like me. His frantic newborn phase was barely there. But when you don't know...or aren't ready, then you fight it, which makes your struggle that much harder.

"Has someone smelled...tempting?" I continued with a chuckle, and he nodded. "Yes. Sure. But Edward was there to remind me that she was a new mom, that I had to pay attention to everything about me – my thirst, my reactions, even my eyes. It happened in London."

"And you've never..." he started, but I was shaking my head.

"No, I've never taken a human life," I told him proudly. "Rose, Kevin, Carlisle, and I have a clean slate."

"Carlisle, really? As long as he's been around?"

I laughed at my dad's grin. "Nope. Not one time. The only time he's tasted human blood was to change Edward, Esme, Rose, and then Emmett. Oh, and I guess he took part in Kevin's change with Marcus, but I'm not sure."

"What's Archie going to do?"

"I don't know," I said, shrugging a shoulder. "I mean, we just moved here, so we have a bit before we have to even think about the next place. He has time to acclimate, and he's done amazing so far. I've never seen anything like it. He hunts on his own, we've introduced the scent of humans to him – and let me tell you, he was phenomenal – and he's just about caught up on a hundred years of history."

"I have to say...I can't see him going anywhere. He's pretty attached to you guys. If he's not with you, he's with Edward."

"Or Esme. She mothers him," I said with a giggle.

The word mother caused a small moment of silence between us, my mind swirling around Renee. My face must've given it all away because Charlie hit the nail on the head with his next words.

"You haven't asked about your mother in a long time, Bells," he stated softly, tilting his head my way.

"I try not to," I whispered, frowning down at my hands. "I'm supposed to leave her alone, not check on her or search her out. If I did, then I know myself; I'd never be able to walk away."

He got up from the chair he was in to sit next to me on the chaise. Wrapping an arm around me, he pulled my head to his shoulder.

"I miss her," I murmured. "But she can't know."

"I know, sweetie," he sighed, kissing the top of my head. "She's doing okay, though. She and Phil just bought a new townhouse on the beach. She's taking...yoga." He said the last word with such sarcasm that I couldn't help but giggle. "She says it helps her focus."

"Renee? Focus?" I laughed, pulling back to look up at him.

"Yeah...no clue if it's working," he said wryly, shrugging a shoulder, but he dug around in his pocket, only to pull out his phone.

"Look at you...all high-tech and stuff," I teased as his finger tentatively swept over the touch screen.

"Don't start with me," he said with a dramatic huff. "Blame Seth and Jake...hell, even Sue made me up...up..."

"Upgrade," I provided.

"Smart ass," he sighed, rolling his eyes. "Here." He shoved the phone into my hands. "Thought you'd like to see how she's doing."

"Oh," I simply said, my eyes raking over the picture on the screen.

My eyes stung at the sight of my mom. She looked older as she stood on some beach at sunset. There were crinkles at the corners of her eyes that weren't there the last time I'd seen a picture of her. It was obvious she dyed her hair, so I could assume that she was graying, but her hair was beautiful. She must've used a color close to her own natural shade. Her smile was stunning – breathtaking, really – so that meant that she was happy.

I swallowed thickly, blinking back the venom that burned my eyes. "Does she... I mean..." I sighed, not knowing what I wanted to ask.

"She misses you, yes," Dad told me softly. "There's a bit of her that's not the same since you've been gone."

"She's so pretty."

"She always was, but you took the best parts of her, Bells," he said with pride, and I smiled up at him. He kissed my forehead. "You got the best of us both."

"Thank you," I whispered, handing him his phone back.

We glanced up at the sound of loud music wafting across the yard from the library. I had to smile because my boys were showing off, it seemed. What I wouldn't give to see my dad's face at the sight of those same boys on stage.

The back deck door suddenly burst open, and Alice was in front of us instantly, bouncing excitedly. "Holy hell, can we?"

I laughed, shrugging a shoulder. "I don't know. I can't imagine they'd want to spend their last night in a bar, Ali."

"We were just trying to come up with something to do today. We could totally spend it in New Brunswick!" she gushed, glancing between Charlie and me.

"Why are you asking me?" I snorted, pointing toward the house. "Why aren't you asking..._The Band_?"

Charlie laughed at the whole exchange, and Alice grinned his way, picking up his hand. "Charlie, do you like old-school rock?" she asked him.

"Old-school?" he snorted. "Is that code for something?"

"Yes, he does," I sighed, turning to my dad. "You do. It's the stuff you've listened to my whole life."

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Old-school," he murmured.

Grinning, I said, "Anyway, the boys play on stage every once in a while. Alice here wants all of you to see it."

Several forms stumbled out onto the back deck, Jake and Seth among them. Charlie smirked at them, only to turn to me. However, my eyes were on the tall, lean form in the window of the library.

_Edward, you don't mind?_ I asked him, and he laughed, shaking his head no.

"Whatever you want, love," he said, and even though he'd spoken in his normal voice, I heard him, but Charlie didn't.

"You want to go?" I asked my dad.

"Will we be back in time to get to the airport?"

"Actually, we can rearrange everything so that you can fly out from New Brunswick tomorrow morning. I've made all the arrangements, just in case," Alice piped up, wearing a grin when Charlie laughed.

He looked down at me. "Hey, I'm just along for the ride. I'm cool with it," he said, hugging me when I laughed at his choice of words.

"Yes!" the whole lot of them cheered as we made our way toward the house.

I caught Archie's eye, asking, "You want to go? You want to try?"

He grimaced a little but nodded. "You'll shield me?"

"Of course."

His curious and adorable face broke out into a sweet smile as he nodded. "Okay."

"Okay," I mimicked, reaching for his hand. "Then you need to hunt. Let's go."

~oOo~

"Hey, I'm Raven," the girl from the other band crooned to Edward as the rest of my boys unloaded their instruments. "You're on after us, right?"

Carlisle and Esme were getting everyone checked into the hotel with Charlie in New Brunswick while the rest of us helped the guys set up their stuff. Jake, Anna, and Seth had opted to ride with us to _Leather and Lace_.

"Edward," he said politely, not shaking her hand, considering his were full of his electronic keyboards. "And yeah, Dwayne wanted us to go last."

"That's cool, so you've played here before," she surmised with a leaning stance against the wall, and her voice was that slightly raspy thing that some men considered to be sexy. It looked like she used it to her advantage. She was everything her name portrayed – dark, mysterious, beautiful, and a little rough around the edges.

And she'd been eye-fucking Edward since we walked in the back stage doors. Rolling my eyes, I made my way to the main part of the bar, where Jake and Seth were racking up some pool balls, leaving Edward to his newest groupie.

"Seriously, Bella?" Edward asked incredulously, but his voice was not loud enough for the humans in the building.

I sniffed, ignoring him and taking the pool cue that Seth was handing me.

"You break, big sis," he told me, grinning his sweetest smile because it had been him to teach me everything I knew about pool. "And ignore the chick..."

I _tsked_, rolling my eyes, but my break was just a little too hard. The crack resounded throughout the empty bar, drawing the attention of not only the people with me, but the employees and the other musicians, as well.

"Damn," Dwayne said with a chuckle as he stocked his bar. "Firecracker, that one."

"You'd better soften that shit," Jake warned, smirking at me.

"I will, I will," I vowed, trying to tune out the relentless flirting going on behind the curtain because now, Raven's band members had discovered Emmett, Jasper, Kevin, and even poor Archie, for crying out loud, who was merely trying to stay out of the way until showtime.

"You're not still pissed about the Newton thing, are you?" Seth asked, glancing between me and the stage curtain.

"No," I grumbled, taking my next shot, and then my next, until I slowly cleared the table and they had to rack them up again.

It wasn't really a lie. I was a little unnerved by it. Maybe it was because Edward had found it so damn funny, even after apologizing to me over and over – both in words and with his body. Or maybe it was the rollercoaster of emotions of seeing my dad and friends from back home. I wasn't sure. What I did know was that I was in no mood to watch a rock chick stumble over herself to flirt with Edward.

The sound of something heavy hitting the floor echoed out from behind the stage, and the curtains were thrown open. Edward stalked out, but my eyes were on the girls watching his every move. When he appeared in front of me, essentially blocking my view of them, I finally met his gaze. It was fierce, almost angry, but so very heated.

"It's only funny...because _I_ know who your heart belongs to, Bella. Newton never understood that, so his mooning over you still today is not only sad, but hilarious. What's even funnier is that you despise the attention. You're damned beautiful, so it shouldn't be a surprise when someone falls hard for you. I did," he whispered in a rush, his brow furrowing. "And you should ignore them," he said, jerking a thumb behind him. "I am."

I nodded, feeling thoroughly chastised. "I know. I'm sorry. I don't know what's..."

Suddenly, his fingers threaded into my hair at the base of my neck and his lips met mine. He kissed me absolutely senseless – to the point I wasn't sure of my own damn name. It was deep and heated, claiming and possessive...and it caused whistles and cheers from Jake, Anna, and Seth, not to mention Dwayne.

He pulled back, pressing his forehead to mine, but his gaze was like liquid fire as he licked his lips. "And your name is...Mrs. Bella Cullen, my silly, jealous girl." His voice was raspy, but sexy and firm.

Fuck, I'd really needed to hear that. The weird petty feelings I'd been experiencing faded away completely because he'd just claimed me in front of everyone just to shut up the girls behind him. He'd removed any doubt as to where he stood.

"Nah," he teased, giving me a sweet wink. "You just looked like you could use a good kiss."

I giggled, letting out a deep breath. "Yeah, that, too."

His smile took over his whole face. It was beautiful and sweet. "Then...mission accomplished."

"Go set up. Maybe you'll have time to play with me," I said, not thinking of the double-meaning those words could have, but he did, raising an eyebrow and huffing a laugh at me. "Pool, Edward. Play pool."

"Oh," he sang, like it was a completely new idea. "Okay. I'll do my best, sweet girl," he vowed, walking away from me.

I nodded to myself, murmuring, "You always do."

~oOo~

By the time Dwayne had opened the doors and the first band had played, _Leather and Lace_ was packed. It seemed that people were taking a break from the holidays that were looming closer, because the next day was Christmas Eve. People were rowdy, blowing off steam and taking the edge off with alcohol, and I even heard a few state that they were simply getting away from visiting relatives. It made for an excitable, electric feel to the room.

Edward had been able to join me for two games of pool before the place got too busy, which had been watched by just about everyone in the building. I'd won them both.

Dwayne allowed us to set up three rather large tables up front for our friends and family, and I made sure to put myself right next to Archie on the outside so he was away from the closest humans. However, he was taking in the whole atmosphere with wide, open, deep amber eyes, which were just changing enough that he could pull off a strange brownish hazel.

"How many songs are they doing?" Charlie asked no one in particular at the table from my other side. "And which ones?"

"Three," Rose responded. "And there's no telling. I've seen them decide and then completely change the line-up backstage. Sometimes, it depends on what Jasper feels in the room or what Edward hears throughout the minds. They play into it."

Charlie's eyebrows shot up.

I chuckled and nudged my dad with my elbow. "For example... Tonight? They'll be doing one song that means something. Since they've been reliving history with Archie, it's more of a message about the condition of society, and that'll be the one you want to watch Emmett on...he's amazing. But then they'll lighten it up with fun stuff – that's all Kevin. Not to mention they really like to test themselves with harmony and technical playing, which is all about Edward and Jasper."

That being said, Dwayne popped out from the curtain, dropped the lights, and made his way back behind the bar. When the curtains opened, the boys were already starting. Wafts of strange notes swirled off the stage.

The boys rarely played Rush in front of an audience because they held that band in the highest regard – Emmett especially. He worshiped Neil Peart, the drummer. And there was a skeptical feel to the room almost instantly, but my boys instantly overcame it as the true melody kicked in to "Early Distant Warning."

Kevin hadn't been lying to Tara when he told her that Edward had been working with him on piano, but really, it was the electric keyboards because Kevin loved the software that Edward had installed. So he was pounding out a rhythm as Jasper took the bass guitar and Edward took lead. But this song was all about Emmett...and the state of affairs of the world. Edward's voice was damned near perfect as he sang lead.

_An ill wind comes arising  
Across the cities of the plain  
There's no swimming in the heavy water  
No singing in the acid rain  
Red alert  
Red alert_

_It's so hard to stay together  
Passing through revolving doors  
We need someone to talk to  
And someone to sweep the floors  
Incomplete  
Incomplete_

_The world weighs on my shoulders  
But what am I to do?  
You sometimes drive me crazy  
But I worry about you_

_I know it makes no difference  
To what you're going through  
But I see the tip of the iceberg  
And I worry about you..._

The boys couldn't have picked a better song to not only speak to Archie about how life had changed over the years, but to earn the respect of the entire bar. Though, Edward was most likely singing from the heart about the world weighing on his shoulders. God knows, he'd heard it all. By the time the song ended, the cheers, screams, and catcalls were ear piercing. And most of those were for Emmett as he grinned proudly, twirling a drumstick between his fingers.

Checking on Archie as the boys quickly – yet at a human pace – changed up instruments, I saw that he was doing fine. My dad, however, was slack-jawed and in awe. He huffed a laugh when he caught my stare.

"They're good," he muttered.

Grinning proudly, I said, "Yeah. Yeah, they are."

Kevin stepped out from behind the keyboards, taking the front of the stage. Edward changed to a different guitar, but Jasper kept the bass he'd been playing. With a glance back to Emmett, who nodded, and another to Edward, Kevin faced the audience again. He was wearing faded jeans, a black tank top, and a black leather jacket.

But his voice rang out with a statement that had everyone on their feet.

"I wanna rock!" he growled out, and the heavy sound of Twisted Sister hit us like a wrecking ball.

Kevin, however, was a madman on stage when he didn't have an instrument in hand. All those years in the theater had only given him an amazing stage presence. He worked every inch of the space at his disposal. He involved the audience to echo him every time he needed them to scream, "Rock!" And that just made the room all the more excited.

Kevin also worked his brothers – walking around Jasper, rocking next to Edward, and grinning with Emmett. It was the most fun I'd ever seen them have with the audience while on stage.

The next song was something that Rose, Alice, and I had all been looking forward to the most. It had been several years since the first time we'd heard Edward and Jasper sit down and play together. And that had been in our living room in Forks. They were about to go back to that beginning, but they were doing it onstage, live, and just for us.

Jasper picked up an acoustic guitar, Edward changed to the electric guitar I'd first bought for him, and Kevin picked up a bass guitar. All the boys grinned our way when my sisters and I whistled loudly, because "Wanted Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi truly meant something to us.

With a rake of a drumstick across some small chimes by Emmett, Jasper and Edward took seats on some stools in front of the mic. And when Jasper started the song, I knew that Edward would be the angelic backup.

_It's all the same, only the names will change…  
Everyday it seems we're wasting away,  
Another place where the faces are so cold…  
I'd drive all night just to get back home.  
I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride…  
I'm wanted dead or alive…  
Wanted dead or alive._

There was a part of me that always assumed that Jasper sort of felt that way for a long time. The fact that he was from Texas was not lost on my dad with this song, but I could tell that he could feel the real life struggle behind the lyrics for Jasper and Edward.

_Sometimes I sleep, sometimes it's not for days…  
And the people I meet always go their separate ways…  
Sometimes you tell the day, by the bottle that you drink…  
And times when you're alone all you do is think._

_I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride…  
I'm wanted…wanted… dead or alive…  
Wanted dead or alive._

_I ride…_

When Edward stood up to take the guitar solo, I'd never seen an audience react to him like they did that night. They screamed, almost rushing the stage, because not only was he flawless, but his and Jasper's voices melted together to create the most beautiful and soulful sound. It was almost heartbreaking.

_I walk these streets, a loaded six string on my back…  
I play for keeps, 'cause I might not make it back.  
I been everywhere, and I'm standing tall…  
I've seen a million faces an I've rocked them all._

When they finished, the bar exploded. Chants for more, more, more made my dad, Jake, Seth, and Anna join in. I laughed, shooting Edward a wink.

"Boys, boys!" Dwayne called from behind the bar. "You got one more in you?"

Jasper and Kevin laughed, but they looked to Edward for the answer. They could've played a million songs, but Edward looked like he couldn't quite decide whether he wanted to do another. A bright spark of light lit behind my husband's eyes, and he shot the sexiest grin my way before leaning in to tell his brothers. Emmett guffawed, Kevin took his place behind the keyboards, and Jasper cracked up, shaking his head.

I nudged Archie. "Hanging in there?"

"Oh yeah," he said with a soft laugh. "I'm fine."

But it was Alice's reaction that had me curious because her head fell back with her laughter.

She turned to me, still giggling. "Oh, Bella... It never fails. Edward always has to give you one song. You should remember this one, though."

"Oh, hell," I said with a laugh as the boys changed up guitars again.

"Always?" Charlie asked.

"Always!" the whole family answered him with the exception of Archie and me, which caused Jake, Seth, and Anna to crack up.

"She freaking loves it," Rose snorted, shaking her head. "Don't let her fool you."

I grinned and nodded, shrugging a shoulder, as if to say, "Sue me." But I truly burst into hysterics when the Kevin started the opening notes of their song on the keyboard. I was still laughing when Edward fought his smile, shot me a wink, and began the first verse of "Bad Medicine" by Bon Jovi. The last time they sang it, they hadn't played it; it had been a lost bet playing pool, and they'd had to sing cheesy karaoke. It had been the first time I'd ever seen my brothers and Edward on any stage. Ever. And I couldn't help but think Edward was giving me a bit of our history to me on a silver platter.

The guitar growled, the keyboards plinked, and Emmett broke into a heavy beat as Edward stepped up to the mic. And the whole bar shot to their feet, singing the opening chorus with them.

_I got a fever, got a permanent disease  
It'll take more than a doctor to prescribe a remedy  
I got lots of money but it isn't what I need  
Gonna take more than a shot to get this poison out of me  
I got all the symptoms count 'em 1,2,3_

Just like the first time they sang it, the boys all pointed to Carlisle at the mention of the doctor, which made him roll his eyes and shake his head, but the chorus was to me, Adrian, and my sisters.

_First you need  
That's what you get for falling in love  
Then you bleed  
You get a little but it's never enough  
On your knees  
That's what you get for falling in love  
And now this boy's addicted cause your kiss is the drug  
Your love is like bad medicine  
Bad medicine is what I need  
Shake it up, just like bad medicine  
There ain't no doctor that can cure my disease  
Bad, bad medicine  
Bad, bad medicine_

Edward stepped back, giving the lead to Jasper with a giant smile my way.

_I don't need no needle to be giving me a thrill  
And I don't need no anesthesia  
Or a nurse to bring a pill  
I got a dirty down addiction  
It doesn't leave a track  
I got a jones for your affection like a monkey on my back  
There ain't no paramedic gonna save this heart attack_

I purred at the sight of Edward playing the solo. His forearms and biceps flexed with every heavy chord, every wavering note, and his talented fingers made my stomach flip-flop. Add in that he was in older jeans and a tight, black T-shirt, I could barely keep my eyes their normal brown and not let them blacken to pitch.

Kevin took the last bridge, sending the crowd into a frenzy, and that point, I knew Jasper was only pushing out what he was receiving. Archie and I weren't feeling it, but everyone else sure as hell was, and it was hilarious to watch. Archie and I were dying laughing.

_I need a respirator cause I'm running out of breath  
You're an all night generator wrapped is stockings and a dress  
When you find your medicine you take what you can get  
Cause if there's something better baby well they haven't found it yet_

When Edward panted, "I gotta... I gotta do it again. Wait a minute...hold on, hold on," I thought the girls in the audience would pass the hell out. "I'm not done. One more time...but _feel _it!"

My mouth fell open, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to kiss him senseless or steal him off the stage. My Edward was way too sexy for his own damn good. In fact, he had to take several steps back away from the edge of the stage as they ended their song, due to reaching hands and screaming girls. Even older women were swooning over my boys.

Due to the crowd, we decided to give Archie a break and meet the boys out back as they loaded up. They all grinned at Charlie's chuckle as they loaded the back of Emmett's truck.

"Impressive, boys." His laugh was laced with awe and amusement.

"Thank you, sir," Edward said with a snicker, looking a touch embarrassed.

"Okay," Jake said, folding his giant arms across his chest. "I gotta know how you get away with it. I mean, aren't you supposed to stay off the radar?"

Emmett laughed, placing a heavy hand on Jake's shoulder. "It's all false info, man. Dwayne doesn't know a thing. The names, addresses...all of it is fake. It wouldn't matter if _Rolling Stone_ magazine walked up in there; they'd never find us."

"So why do it?" Anna asked innocently.

"'Cause they love it," Kevin stated with a grin, pointing toward my sisters and me. "And it's so much fucking fun!"

"Kevin," Esme sighed, shaking her head.

"I know why," Archie piped up softly, and everyone turned to him. "Because we have to fight what we are..._all the time_. Not too fast, not to strong, not too this or that... This is the one thing they can do really well and not have to worry."

"Exactly," Jasper agreed with him, wearing a small smile. "Technically, we're just a good garage band. They'll watch us the few times we show up, but then we'll be forgotten once we move on from the area."

"Huh," Charlie huffed, shaking his head. "I can see how tampering down everything you are could get old."

"It does," Edward sighed, his nose wrinkling a little. "It's why we aren't in school this time around."

The boys finished loading the truck, and Emmett and Rose left for home, taking Archie with them. He was on sensory overload, so he decided not to stay out of the house. He wasn't quite ready to play guest in a hotel. However, the rest of us were going to see my dad and my friends off the next day at the airport, so we'd opted to stay overnight.

As we rode up the elevator, Edward squeezed my hand before looking to Charlie.

My dad turned to me, saying, "Bells, could I see you in my room?"

"Yeah, sure, Dad," I told him, leaning into Edward's kiss to my temple.

"Love you," my husband whispered against my skin. "Take your time."

Charlie looked nervous as I followed him into his room after wishing Jake, Anna, and Seth a good night, but he opened up his suitcase and pulled out a small wrapped gift.

"Dad," I sighed, shaking my head a little. "I though we agreed... Christmas was supposed to be about the kids. You know I don't need anything."

"Well," he started, swallowing nervously, "this isn't something I thought I'd ever see again. And after talking to you earlier today, I almost wasn't going to give it to you, but I think you should have it."

I didn't open the gift, but my brow furrowed as I simply stared at my dad. He wasn't always good with talking things out, though he'd gotten better since I'd come back into his life. But this was different.

"A long time ago," he said with a humorless laugh, "I found out that I was going to be a father, and the day after your mother told me, I bought her something to kind of mark the time. I did the math, so I figured out pretty quick what month you were due, so I... Well, you'll see..." He gestured to the package in my hand.

I opened it slowly, finding a fine, silver necklace with a sapphire pendant attached to it – the birthstone for September. It wasn't big, but it was very, very pretty.

"The last time I saw your mother in person, I chattered on an on about Izzy, about how I loved the roll of grandpa, even though she and Eddie aren't really related to me. I think it was my way of not talking about you. It kept me focused not to brag that you were living in London, that you were doing so well, and that you and Edward were so damn happy."

I smiled up at my dad, but I could tell that he wasn't finished.

"Anyway, she teased me relentlessly...until the last day," he sighed, wearing a pained expression. "She handed me this, saying that since our baby wasn't around, that I should pass it on. And since Izzy was named after you, it was only fitting." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "I had every intention of doing that, but then I thought...even if Renee doesn't know, she'd appreciate you having it. So we're passing it on to who it truly belongs to."

I glanced down at the necklace again, my finger playing with the gem that sparkled brightly in the hotel room's light. Venom burned my eyes as I remembered Renee wearing that very necklace my whole life. She hadn't worn it much after Phil came into the picture, except on my birthday, and now I knew why.

I took the necklace out, putting it on quickly and running a finger over it as it rested against my chest. A little too fast, I rushed to my father, hugging him fiercely, but I pulled back when he chuckled and grunted at the same time.

"I'm so glad you came," I murmured into his chest, thinking I owed my husband big time for giving me time with Charlie, even if it was only a couple of days.

He kissed the top of my head, sighing deeply. "Me, too, Bella."

Pulling back, I saw that he was tired. "You should get some rest. Alice booked you pretty early tomorrow...or today, rather." I wrinkled my nose a little, but my dad only smiled.

"Okay," he agreed, and I giggled when he yawned widely. "Merry Christmas, Bella."

"Merry Christmas, Dad," I told him and then left his room.

Edward's and my room was a few doors down at the end of the hall, and when I stepped into the room, he was waiting patiently on the edge of the bed, his elbows resting on his knees. I wasn't stupid; I knew he'd heard the whole exchange, whether he wanted to or not, but he seemed braced for my emotions because we both moved at the same time. He caught me up in his arms.

"Thank you...so much," I breathed heavily into the crook of his neck.

He didn't say anything, but simply pulled me back to gaze at my face. His warm, honey eyes landed on the new jewelry around my neck, and he reach up to trail a finger over it. Smiling softly, he huffed a small, quiet laugh, giving me a gentle kiss.

"I have to agree with Charlie, my sweet, beautiful girl," he murmured sweetly.

"What?"

He fingered the pendant one more time before his eyes locked with mine. "The day you were born, the whole world became a better place."

* * *

**A/N... You gotta love Open Mic Night with Charlie! ;) And it was a bunch of different emotions in this one. It always is when Bella sees her dad. Not enough time, but she can't keep him with her. But seeing him does her good. Despite the fact that Mike Newton is a sore subject for her. LOL**

**Okay additions to the playlist:**

"**Early Distant Warning" by Rush...I'm a sick, huge fan of his group. In fact, there are a ton of songs you could download of theirs. You can't go wrong... "Tom Sawyer," "Limelight," "The Spirit of Radio"... On and on. I love them. Neil Peart is not only a drummer god, but he's the brilliant writer behind every lyric.**

"**I Wanna Rock" by Twisted Sister**

"**Wanted Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi... which would also be on the _Broken Angel_ playlist.**

"**Bad Medicine" by Bon Jovi...also on the _Broken Angel _playlist.**

**Both Bon Jovi songs go back to the beginning, so I couldn't help but bring them up again.**

**Chapter 24 is well underway. And soon, we'll be jumping in time a bit. Not much, but a few months. There is a method to my madness. I promise. ;) So I'll see you Sunday. Until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N... Not a lot of questions this time around, except one. Sherryola wanted to know if this chapter was going to be all in Edward's POV since the last one was all in Bella's. Actually...yes! I hadn't planned it that way, but it wrote better all in Edward's POV. So enjoy that.**

**Also, I need to see you guys at the bottom, so make sure you read the last notes, okay?**

**Brace yourselves for some CITRUS in this chap. Aannd...I'll let you get on with it.**

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Chapter 24

**EDWARD**

Deep brown eyes gazed unseeingly out over the skyline of New Brunswick, but the sharp mind behind them was much farther away than that. Bella seeing her dad was a double-edged sword. It always was, and it most likely always would be. Carlisle and I had discussed at length what bringing Charlie in for just a few days would do. She adored her father, but he came wrapped up in all her human memories, not to mention the reality of never seeing her mother ever again.

I'd worried when Bella had gone to her father's room, but despite the sentimental subject and gift, my girl was just...thankful. She was thankful to Charlie for thinking of her, to Jake, Anna, and Seth for coming along, and to me for setting it all up as a surprise. And she'd thanked me. Repeatedly. She thanked me in ways that I was trying not to think about, lest I take her again. She was tempting enough, lying on her stomach, completely bare with the sheet covering her legs.

My fingers danced lightly down her bare back as I relived her old human memories through her mind. I was pretty sure she was trying to remember every time Renee wore the necklace Charlie had given my Bella just a few hours ago. I smiled, leaning down to press kisses to her shoulder blades as I viewed the world through a very young Bella's eyes. It was those moments when I was grateful for my mind reading ability because it gave me so much more than if she'd have just told me.

One such memory made me laugh out loud. "Was that...Barbie?" I asked her.

"Shut up, Edward!" Her giggle was happy and sweet. "I hated Barbie, but my mother insisted on that theme for my birthday that year. I was six! Everything was pink. Ugh..."

"Yeah...um, no. I can't imagine you bowing down to the Barbie franchise. At all," I teased her, grinning when she rolled over to face me. "G.I. Joe, maybe..."

She laughed, squirming closer to me when I tugged the hotel's comforter over our heads and wrapped an arm around her waist. I lost myself in sweet chocolate brown and a little girl's memories. A slow smile crept up over her face.

"No, but Beanie Babies, on the other hand..." she stated with a nostalgic sigh. "Those, I wanted. I had a few, but Renee couldn't always afford the newest ones."

"I remember that craze," I huffed, rolling my eyes. "Even Alice and Rose were affected."

Bella grinned, biting her bottom lip. "I had a polar bear, a gray tabby cat, a penguin, and a wolf."

"You had a wolf, but no lion?" I gasped in mock disgust. "I'm somehow offended."

"I was six years old, Edward!" she cried out, pushing me onto my back and slipping over me. My body reacted instantly to the feel of her as she straddled me and braced her hands on either side of my head. "Had I known the significance of the lion in my future, I would have traded them all in," she stated in an overly serious tone, and I could see her mind fighting not to roll her eyes at me.

"Had you understood the significance at six, I would've worried," I countered with a laugh, but something told me that my Bella would've handled it all with a style and grace that only she possessed – even as a child.

Bella laughed, leaning down to kiss me briefly. "I would've crushed on you. Hard."

Smiling up at her, I didn't know how to counter that because knowing my girl, she would've accepted me just as I was – immortality and all – no matter what the age. I was pretty certain she'd never have given anything different about me a second thought.

"I would've really wanted to hear that mind," I said with a chuckle, but then a shiver wracked my entire frame as I remembered just how potent Bella's blood had been to me when she was seventeen. I couldn't allow myself to even approach what would've happened had she been just a child when we first met – easily removable from any mall, backyard, or school playground.

"Edward?"

I simply shook my head, my brow furrowing as my hands sought out soft skin and even softer hair. I pulled back the covers just to see her – really see her – in the pale light of the morning that was trying to dawn through thick, heavy clouds. Tucking her hair behind her ear, I just gazed up at her.

"You wouldn't have hurt me, you know," she stated softly, keeping her eyes on my face.

Smirking up at her, I asked, "Who's the mind reader?"

"I can read _you_," she snorted, rolling her eyes. "I know where that mind of yours goes. You wouldn't have hurt me. You may have walked away, but you wouldn't have allowed anything to touch a child – whether it was me or another little girl."

I wanted to argue with her, telling her that she had no idea just how close I came to wrecking everything when she first stumbled into the biology classroom, but she knew that story, and I knew myself better than that now. I had been stronger than I'd given myself credit for back then. And she was right. I would've walked away – or run, really – in order to prevent anything from happening.

Nodding, I fought my smile. "How'd you get so smart?"

"It's purely natural," she huffed haughtily with a single nod, squealing into a writhing, giggling mess on top of me. "Edward, no!"

Chuckling darkly when she collapsed against me, I said, "I'm kind of glad we didn't meet any other way than how we did."

She folded her arms across my chest and rested her chin on top of them so that we were practically nose to nose. "Why's that?"

"Because I wouldn't have wanted to scare you as a child or wait for you to grow up, and I certainly wouldn't have wanted you to 'crush' on me," I rattled off, shrugging a shoulder. "The way it happened was real, the way it should be, even though I denied it at the time. It was more than just meeting my mate. Controlling my thirst gave me a chance to learn about you, truly fall in love with you. I'm not sure I can regret that. Ever."

Bella giggled softly, kissing my lips briefly. "You're a hopeless romantic, Edward Cullen. And I love it."

I laughed, but it was true. However, I couldn't keep from teasing her. "Besides," I sighed dramatically. "I met you when you were beautiful and all grown up. I'm not sure about those..._knobby knees_." With that said, I gripped her knee by my hip and gave it a rough tickle.

She kicked out of my grasp, but her eyes were sparkling with mischief as I suddenly found my hands pinned to my pillow on either side of my head.

"Don't hate the knees, Edward," she purred, looming over me. "Just because we don't have picture-proof, I'm sure you weren't always so...perfect. I can imagine there was a gangly teen in your past, so don't even try me, mister."

I laughed even harder, not even bothering to fight her shield. "Oh, there was. It was awful. I was skinny, with big feet and hands and an even bigger head. It's like I shot up overnight."

Her grin was beautiful and sweet...and so very naughty. "Well, you know what they say about big feet, baby," she said in a sing-song sort of way.

"Big shoes?" I asked her, but she shook her head slowly. "Um, enormous...socks?"

She snorted, shaking her head no again. "Mmm, socks... Close, but spelled wrong."

Suddenly, I really wanted to hear her say that word, and I felt my eyes blackening to pitch at the mere thought of it. "Say it for me..."

"Hmm, no." Her voice had a finality to it that I didn't like, but she sat up, the covers falling off her and onto the tops of my thighs. Trailing a finger across my chest and up my right arm, she touched each of my fingers, only to tug a little on my thumb. "They also say something about big hands... Let me see... Oh! They say if you take the length of a man's thumb and multiply it by three, you get an interesting measurement."

Grinning, I dragged my tongue along my bottom lip. "Do tell, my smart, beautiful girl," I crooned up at her, simply because I loved her like this. I loved when she teased and took control. I loved that she was completely bare and never thought a thing about it, unlike when she'd been self-conscious as a human. But more than all of that, I loved that it was me that made her this way, that we'd learned only each other from head to toe, and that she brought out a side of me that I never knew existed. "What interesting measurement is that?"

"I'll get to that in a second," she murmured, giving me a cheeky smile before leaning in to kiss up the side of my neck.

Slipping slowly down my body, she dropped more kisses to my chest and stomach, swirling her tongue around my nipples and in my navel, but I growled low at the feel of her wet center gliding over my now steel-hard erection. She was only holding my hands in her shield, so I couldn't help but buck slightly up into her just to feel her heat, hear her gasp, and it caused a moan to erupt from both of us. But she pulled away too soon, climbing back up my body to press her forehead to mine.

"My thumbs are almost three inches long, Isabella," I told her with a wicked grin.

"I know," she responded, smiling against the skin of my throat. "That calculation ends up grossly inadequate." She paused a second when my prideful growl rumbled around us. "Then they say the nose tells a few things," she continued, fighting her smile when I groaned aloud. "It depends on..._length_ and _girth_."

"What does?" I asked, struggling against her shield for the first time, because damn it, she was killing me. I wanted to be inside of her so badly that it was almost painful. And despite her teasing, I wasn't prepared to hear her say the word.

"The size of your _cock_, Edward," she purred, nipping at the edge of my jaw.

"Bella... Baby, please stop teasing," I growled out through gritted teeth as she did things to my neck that made my eyes roll back into my head.

When her lips met mine, I kissed her into oblivion, hoping that she'd lose enough control that her shield would slip. Using my legs, I brought her closer, grinding up into her and claiming her mouth with long sweeps of my tongue. Her shield tightened, wavered, and then I was free.

Sitting up, I kept her on my lap, weaving a hand into her hair and gripping her hip with the other. My lips nipped at her top lip, her bottom lip, and I turned my head to kiss her deeply. Her body moved over me, coating me in her warmth and arousal.

Dragging my lips to her ear, I couldn't resist a little payback. "You seem to have a firm opinion concerning my cock, love." I grinned against her skin when she moaned.

Immediately, her mind searched frantically, trying to remember exactly where the rest of our family was in this "God-forsaken hotel," but she could barely focus past anything outside of our little bubble. Little did she know that I'd picked the location of our room on purpose. Yes, Charlie was right down the corridor, but the rest of the family was on the opposite wing than we were. That put several humans between us and everyone else. And as the morning dawned, that also put a whole lot of activity between us as they got ready to face the day.

Instead of answering my taunt, she locked gazes with me. "I want you...just like this..."

All thoughts of more teasing flew out the window into the chilly Canadian air. I simply nodded, swallowed, and lifted her up.

"Mm," I growled low, watching as she sank down over me. "I love watching you take all of my cock inside of you, Bella. It feels fucking amazing, but it looks a thousand times better."

This was Bella's favorite position, and I knew why. She loved the feel of my arms around her, my chest against hers, and the fact that she had easy access to kiss me. She liked watching my eyes swirl to black, my face when I came undone, and we both loved the feel of just how deep I was inside of her. She felt surrounded, grounded, and secure. It wasn't about deep thrusting or frantic movements, but it was about just the feeling of being one. Sometimes, it was like she couldn't breathe until we melted together.

Heads fell back as long, suckling kisses met throats. Hands gripped, lips brushed lips, and names were cried out into the hotel room.

Cupping her ass, I spread her open, lifting her up and down as she braced her hands on my shoulders. But my eyes never left her face. I wasn't sure there was anything more beautiful than my Bella lost in the feel of us, lost in the pleasure. In her mind, I could see that every inch of her skin was sensitive, like she was being set on fire with every touch, every grip, and every kiss. She wanted to come so badly, but she was waiting for me.

"Don't fight it, baby," I told her, dragging my lips down her throat and bending her back just enough to brush my lips across the sapphire that looked amazing in contrast to her skin, finally suckling my scar that decorated the porcelain flesh over her heart.

"Ung," she gasped, her fingers gripping at me frantically, her eyes rolling back in her head, and her sweet, warm flesh clenching down around my cock. "Fuck, Edward..."

Her reaction was instant, intense, and pulled me under right along with her, because for some reason, my scar on her was somehow connected directly to her clit – or at least, that was the inane thought that ran through my girl's head as she tried her damnedest to calm down. Wrapping my arms all the way around her, my forehead fell to her shoulder.

I could hear that Charlie was getting ready, that Seth had already checked on him. I could even hear Anna and Jake stirring down the hall. I sighed, squeezing my sweet girl tighter just before pulling back to look at her gorgeous yet very sated face.

Her eyes drifted to the clock on the nightstand, and a brief wrinkle crept over her brow. "It's almost time, right?"

I nodded, playing with her new necklace. "Will you be okay saying goodbye, baby? Was it too much to bring him here?"

"No!" she gushed, smiling a genuine smile. "No, Edward. It was the best gift you've ever given me. I had the best time with my dad. Thank you...so much," she whispered, kissing me softly on the lips.

"I could see that you missed him, sweet girl. And as long as you can, I want you to take advantage of being able to see him," I explained to her, because she had something none of the rest of us had.

"I'm very lucky...in many, many ways," she sighed contentedly, laughing a little with a shake of her head. "I know that's what you're telling me. But it's more than just my dad. It's my whole life. You've given me everything, Edward. Never, ever doubt that you haven't. Okay?"

Nodding, I whispered, "Okay."

"I know that sometimes, you think that I'm missing out, but my life is very, very full. _You_ did that. It's you that makes it all worthwhile."

I smiled at her, grateful that she saw it that way. "I love you. More than I can express some days."

"Good. And as much as I'd like to keep you right here in this bed, it's time to get ready to go to the airport," she told me, wrinkling her nose adorably.

Her mind was torn – staying in my arms or seeing her dad off. Her conflict was merely an immortal moment of indecisiveness, and it made me chuckle that she still experienced some things that she couldn't control.

"Easy," I said with a laugh. "I'm staying...Charlie's leaving. I'll be here for whatever gorgeous ideas float through that awe-inspiring mind of yours."

She laughed at herself, looking like my young human for a brief moment as she looked away, embarrassed, before scrambling off my lap. Had blood still coursed through her veins, she'd have blushed crimson.

"Right, got it." She giggled, standing up off the bed. "Sorry about that...my brain went haywire thinking way too much all at once."

Laughing, I scooped her up to tote her into the suite's bathroom. "Believe me, Bella...that happens to the best of us."

~oOo~

"I'd say I'll send you an invitation to the wedding, but I don't think you can come. Some people from Forks will be there," Seth said sadly, but a giant smile crept over his face. "I know! We'll send you guys a video!"

Bella giggled, hugging her stepbrother fiercely. "Lexi had better treat you right, or she'll have all sorts of problems heading her way."

He wanted to tell her that imprints had practically a non-existent divorce rate, but he loved her gushing over him as his "big sis," so he kept quiet and simply nodded.

I flinched at the sounds, minds, and scents of the airport but stood silently off to the side next to Carlisle and Charlie, though Adrian, Esme, and Jasper were just a few steps away, discussing the trip back home. Due to the new precautions, we had to leave Charlie and everyone at security, despite how much Bella wanted to see them down to the gate.

"I forgot how much airports affect you," Carlisle stated softly.

I shrugged. "School is worse," I said with a grin, which made him chuckle. "But yes, there is a wide range of loud minds. Mostly, they're excited, due to the holiday, but some are sad." I jerked my chin toward a soldier saying goodbye to his family; he had a little girl in his arms and a sobbing wife to attend to. "Travelers are stressed out as it is – money, itineraries, reservations, unhappy kids. But reunions..." I gestured to the opposite side of the large atrium toward a very happy couple in an embrace. "Those are nice. They haven't seen each other since the summer." I grinned over at Carlisle when he chuckled.

"Does it bother you, son?" Charlie asked, having heard me.

"Not as much as it did in the beginning," I answered honestly. "The only time it truly bothers me is when someone is thinking...not so nice things. Even worse, when it's about someone in my family."

"Meaning..." he urged, wondering how I maintained my composure over nasty thoughts of Bella.

"My entire family, but yes, especially Bella. Humans can be...jealous, petty creatures, and those thoughts give way to the meanest of ideas and daydreams. Sometimes, it's hard to ignore or shield Bella – or anyone in my family, really – from it."

"Is that...instinct? Or just you?" Charlie chuckled, and I really respected that he was able to ask honest questions simply out of curiosity.

Laughing, I said, "Both."

All three of us glanced over toward Alice, Bella, Kevin, and Anna when they laughed loudly. It was a chatter-fest, all of them promising to call, email, text. Bella wanted Anna to keep an eye on Charlie, since they were working at the station together. Both the boys and Anna all vowed to do that, as well as give Sue our best and make sure the kids got all the Christmas presents we'd sent.

Jacob gave the girls a hug but picked Bella up to swing her around. "I'll be sure to head down to Newtons after the holiday," he teased her. "Maybe I'll just pick a fight with him. I'll say Edward was my BFF just to piss him off."

I cracked up, my head thumping back to the wall behind me. "That'll do it," I said, giving Jake a fist bump and grinning over at a scoffing Bella, who was trying hard not to laugh at that, because Mike still hated me.

"Jacob Black," Charlie warned, shaking his head and fighting his smile. "Don't make me arrest you."

Jake merely grinned and shrugged, turning back to Bella. "Have fun training the newbie."

"Archie's not really new, Jake," Bella corrected. "He's just...never been taught."

Jake grimaced because he'd heard the story. The fact that it was Victoria that had changed Archie made him a little more sympathetic toward our new friend, because like Bella and me, he'd seen firsthand exactly what that woman was capable of doing. It was the reason he'd been so patient with him, and it had been appreciated by everyone in the family. He'd held no ill will for Archie calling out Jake's past behavior with Bella. In fact, he understood it completely. Jake made no excuses for his relationship with Bella, just simply apologized, because he'd been unable to stop his temper back then. His fairly recent wolf transition combined with his feelings for Bella and his prejudice against "bloodsuckers" – and me in particular – had made Jacob a completely different person. But he was no longer that man. If anyone knew that, it was me...and Anna.

"What are you going to do with Archie?" Charlie asked, his gaze flickering between Carlisle and myself.

Carlisle sighed, shaking his head a little. "We'll keep teaching him, guiding him. We've offered him plenty of opportunities to make his own decisions, but so far, he's content to be with us. I don't know what that means in the future. Alice can't always see him, but so far, he's made no decision to go anywhere."

"He's determined to try...everything," I said, wrapping my arms around Bella's shoulders from behind when she joined us. "He's missed out on so much that it's like he's trying to make up for lost time."

"And when you move again in a year or so?" Seth prompted.

"That's the question, isn't it?" Carlisle replied. "He's only known _that house_. So I have no idea what he'll do, or even how he'll react when that time comes."

"Poor thing," Anna sighed. "He's so sweet. You can tell he never wanted any of it, that he tried his best, but so many things were stacked against him."

Carlisle nodded in agreement. "And that's what he's just now learning...that it was all unfortunate, but never his fault."

"The key will be when he starts to do things on his own," Jasper finally piped up, though he'd been struggling to maintain his talent with the heavyhearted soldier and his family so close by. "When he can hunt alone without someone with him. When he ventures out by himself, that will be when he's truly making progress. But he leans on Edward and Bella like a crutch. I can't imagine what he'll do if they take an extended trip – or even more, if they get their own place the next time, because we all do it."

I grimaced, hiding it in Bella's soft hair, but my brother spoke the truth. It was something that had been plaguing Carlisle. He'd noticed it more and more lately. Even Charlie had seen a touch of it, and he'd only been in the house two days.

"And then there's the way he interacts with humans," Alice sighed, wrinkling her nose a little. "He's learning, but he hates it. But in order to get better, to fit in, he's going to have to really take some acting lessons."

We chuckled at that, but she was right. However, she was basing that on one experience. And Archie had not been comfortable around the girls more than humans in general. It was something I sort of understood. He would've really hated to have seen what Faith had been _thinking_ that night; never mind how she'd flirted with him. If Archie thought Faith was forward just by talking, he'd lose his mind over what she'd really wanted to do with him. I wanted to tell him that unfortunately, that reaction had been mild in comparison to some of the things my brothers and I had been through concerning flirtatious behavior, but I didn't want to scare poor Archie back into the basement.

"Aw, he's doing fine," Kevin said with a laugh, shaking his head. "You forget that he didn't even want to show himself when we first found him."

Adrian chuckled with him, reaching for his hand. "It's true. And really, it's only been a few months. Imagine what he'll be like say...three or four months from now."

My eyes narrowed on an older couple that eyed Kevin and Adrian with disdain. My nostrils flared, and my hands gripped Bella just a little harder than I'd meant to.

Charlie followed my line of sight, but he wasn't stupid. In fact, his mind was a lot like his daughter's. He could see the foul look my brothers were getting.

He snorted humorlessly. "I'm standing with two giant boys that can change into wolves and eight vampires," he muttered, raising an eyebrow my way, "and _that's_ what they're getting twisted over?"

"Welcome to my world, Charlie." I grinned because Kevin and Adrian looked at Charlie like he was their new best friend.

"Oh, Daddy Swan...I think I love you!" Kevin gushed, folding his hands beneath his chin and batting his eyelashes dramatically. "And don't let the old misers get you down. We don't." He gestured between Adrian and himself. "But then again, we can't hear what Heavy E hears."

"Hea...Heavy E?" Charlie asked, looking around when everyone tried to hide their laughter.

"Don't ask, Dad," Bella sighed, shooting a scathing look at Kevin.

"Really, it's just not worth it," I groaned, shaking my head.

Jake checked his watch, saying, "We'd better get through security and check in."

Bella hugged everyone again, but she and her father stepped away for a private moment.

"Yo, Ed," Jake said, holding out his hand. "Thanks for setting this up. I know it was for Bells, but you have no idea how much it meant to Charlie." He smiled slightly. "He really needed to set eyes on her, I think."

I nodded because I knew. I could hear it every time they talked on the phone.

"Yeah, and if you need us, call us," Seth chimed in, smiling and shaking my hand as well. "You'll have to keep us posted on what Big D is dealing with in D.C."

I smiled when Anna hugged me, her thoughts simply happy that she'd gotten to see us again. She'd forgotten how much she loved our family dynamic, but she'd really missed chatting with Bella and my sisters and mother. And now she added Kevin and Adrian into that mix.

"Same here, Jacob," Carlisle stated with a smile, shaking his hand. "Don't hesitate to call."

"Sure, sure," he rattled off with his usual carefree grin.

I gazed over at my girl. Charlie had her face cupped in his hands. He was happy that she was happy. He was ecstatic that she had a family that loved her and surrounded her every day. And he was a little shocked that despite the fact that she still looked her frozen age of twenty, she didn't act it. She was mature and smart and sweet, and he respected her more now than he ever had.

_She's okay, brother,_ Jasper thought to me. _All I feel is good things – joy, love, comfort._

"Good. They both deserve it," I told him softly, turning to look at him as Jake, Anna, and Seth stepped into the security line after they'd gotten more hugs from Esme, Alice, and Bella. "Not everyone gets that."

I'd meant their relationship specifically, not really Bella's ability to keep her father despite her immortality. But how they interacted with one another. My family and I were used to it, but Archie... He'd almost been jealous with how close Bella and Charlie were. I didn't remember the ins and outs of my relationship with my parents. Most of us didn't, and those of us that did remember didn't want to. But Archie did. So seeing how it should've been was both comforting and a little painful for him.

"That they do," he murmured under his breath.

Bella waved me over, and I offered my hand to Charlie, but he pulled me into a rough hug.

"Thank you, Edward. You take care of our girl, yeah?" he asked, smiling when he asked it of me, because he knew I would.

"Yes, sir," I said with a chuckle. "Be careful heading back."

"Yeah, call when you get home, okay, Dad?" Bella asked, giving him one more hug because Seth was calling for Charlie to get in the line.

"I will. Love you, Bells," he said before picking up the bag at his feet.

She smiled. "Love you, too, Dad."

For Bella's benefit, we waited until they were all through security and waved from the other side.

I kissed her cheek, nuzzling it just once before asking, "You ready to go home, sweet girl?"

She nodded, turned to me, and smiled. "Yes, definitely."

My head spun to Alice when a vision overtook her. She was frozen for just a moment but then locked gazes with me. "They'll be there when we get home," she said, her brow furrowing.

"Marcus and Demitri are coming," I told our family, but my eyes didn't leave Alice's.

She could see that they wanted something, but not the details because Marcus hadn't decided whether or not he should ask. Part of me worried, but the other part trusted our old friend. Mainly, I was just curious as to what would bring only Marcus and Demitri to us. Carina, Catherine, and Brandon weren't with them; neither was Marcus's faithful guard, Agosto.

"It's _only_ Marcus and Demitri," I added, finally looking to my father.

"Well, they're not there yet, or Emmett would've called, so let's get on the road," Carlisle stated, his face solemn. "We knew Marcus would be here before the year was out, so we'll see what he wants."

~oOo~

"It's a good thing you have a built-in radar detector, Heavy E," Kevin mused softly from the backseat as he gazed out the window. "Otherwise, we'd have been busted _way_ back there."

Chuckling, I shrugged. "Police are really loud, especially if they're waiting for the next speeder. They're usually bored to death sitting on the side of the highway."

It actually was a touch more complicated than that. I monitored the passing traffic going the other way at the same time for any hint of an awaiting police car. Again, that particular thought was pretty loud, especially if the driver had been speeding and didn't get caught. Their relief was deafening.

I did slow down as we passed through Caribou. There was no hurry at this point because Alice said that Marcus and Demitri hadn't arrived yet, but we did give Emmett and Rose a heads-up about it. They said Archie was extraordinarily nervous – meeting new people may always set him on edge. It was something Carlisle and I had discussed once.

Bella's mind was curious, though not particularly worried. She always welcomed a visit from Marcus, and Demitri was like a brother to her, so she simply was anxious to see our old friends. Any issues, bad news, or questions were not a source of fret for her because she always assumed we'd deal with it together – as a family and just the two of us.

That thought made me smile, pick up her hand, and kiss the back of it.

"What?" She giggled. "It's true."

"Yes, ma'am, it's absolutely true," I replied softly against her sweet-smelling skin, ignoring the curiosity from everyone else in the car.

By the time I'd turned onto the road that led out of town toward our house, I noticed a car behind me. But it was the minds that I could hear that made me smile.

"It seems Demitri was tracking me," I said with a chuckle, turning onto our driveway. "Apparently, they'd just pulled into town and caught my mind close by." I grinned, shaking my head at Demitri's talent. He'd always described it as "catching the flavor" of someone's mind, and it seemed mine just happened to be the one he was tracking.

Five heads turned around to look out the back window to see that behind Carlisle's car was a black sedan. Alice quickly typed out a text to Emmett, telling him that we were home, but to prepare Archie because Marcus and Demitri were following us in.

My Bella fidgeted in her seat until I came to a complete stop, and then she was out of the SUV, passing Carlisle's car, and in Marcus's embrace with a sweet laugh.

"_Mi amore,_" he crooned at her, having missed her sweet demeanor. Not every immortal took to their life as easily as Bella had, and he lived to witness it. "I've missed that face," he gushed, kissing both her cheeks.

"It's been too long, Marcus," she scolded him because he'd promised her that he'd visit in Rochester, but it hadn't happened.

"I've been busy, little one. Immortals don't always behave as they should," he reasoned, though he felt thoroughly chastised by her.

"Only Isabella could brow-beat Marcus." Demitri laughed, shaking his head. "Most vampires quake in his presence, but she scolds him."

My girl beamed proudly at that, hugging Demitri, too. "He likes it," she whispered dramatically, which caused Marcus to shrug and nod uncharacteristically, giving Bella a wink.

After hugs and handshakes with everyone, I tilted my head at the house. It was relatively quiet, but I could hear Archie's nervous thoughts.

"Marcus," I said, drawing everyone's attention, "there's someone you should meet."

Marcus nodded, having been kept up-to-date on our situation not only through Carlisle, but through Demitri, as well. "How's this immortal doing?"

"Very well, actually, but he's had a trying life. He's much more nervous than he needs to be," Carlisle stated, and it was loud enough that I knew Archie had heard him.

"His talent sounds fascinating," Marcus mused, giving Bella a side glance. "I figure it's a bit like yours, _amore._"

She nodded. "It's like we utilize our talents the same, but..." She huffed a laugh. "Archie's is _way_ different. And really amazing."

Emmett met us at the front door, his gaze meeting mine briefly. _The little man is losin' his shit. Rosie's calming him down now in his room_. He turned his giant smile to Marcus. "King M! It's good to see you. Tough job rulin' the world, yeah?"

Marcus laughed, shaking his head. "God, I've missed this family."

I snorted because he meant it. He dealt with serious issues every day – rogue vampires, outrageous hunting mishaps, possible newborn wars. He not only had to make life or death decisions concerning Italy, but the entire world. I couldn't imagine the things he'd seen throughout his very long life.

"Ah, Esme," Marcus sighed happily as we walked through the living room and into the library. "You've done another amazing job."

"Oh, no!" Alice and Bella scoffed, pointing fingers around the room. "We did the worst part of the work."

Esme laughed, hiding it behind her hand.

"You should've seen this place!" Alice gushed, shaking her head. "Dracula wouldn't have come in here!"

"And Esme took her sweet time coming back from...ahem..._Italy_," Bella added, narrowing her eyes on Marcus. "So by the time the rest of these lazy asses showed up, all they had to do was paint a room or hang pictures."

"My apologies, ladies," Marcus said with an amused smile, but he bowed low. "The place is beautiful."

"Thank you," they both rang out together, feeling slightly placated.

"Stop that!" Jasper groaned. "It scares the shit out of me when you two talk at the same time."

Alice and Bella merely grinned, but we all glanced up when Rose came through the bookcase door that led down to Archie's room. She greeted Demitri and Marcus, but her eyes locked with mine.

_He's scared, Edward. Thinks he's in trouble,_ she thought to me.

I nodded and sighed.

Bella watched our exchanged, simply saying, "I'll go."

"Please, both of you, have a seat," Esme offered to Demitri and Marcus.

We all gathered around the living area. Kevin and Adrian had a million questions for Marcus about all the people they'd met while staying in Italy with him. He answered all that he could, but he could see that the two were extremely happy to be back with Carlisle.

I could sense that our friends were holding back with why they were really there. I glanced to Demitri, who simply shook his head as he kept his thoughts and mind focused on the conversation down below. Bella wasn't giving Archie much of a chance to be scared. She told him that if he trusted us, then he needed to come meet Marcus. He was our friend, and it was important that they meet.

Feeling as if he had no other alternative, he took her hand and followed her up the stairs. His faith in her was unwavering – our visitors...not so much.

Carlisle met them at the doorway, placing a protective yet comforting hand on Archie's shoulder. "Archie Varner, I'd like you to meet the leader of the Volturi, Marcus."

Marcus chuckled, giving Archie the once-over before glancing at me briefly. I had to smile because Marcus saw where Archie's loyalties lay. It was a deep purple tie that was bound brightly around Bella, myself, Carlisle, and Esme. He was loyal to the entire family, but us in particular. In fact, the whole room was a rainbow of loyal bindings. Bella and I were the brightest green I'd ever seen, meaning our connection was strong, whole, happy. But Carlisle's was the most interesting. It was gold and thick and was wrapped around each of us so tightly that it was blinding. His tie to Esme was two colors – the gold and a deep red.

"Wow," I said with a slight laugh, shaking my head.

Marcus chuckled again. "Wow, indeed. Archie, it's a pleasure to meet you. Come. Tell me about yourself."

Taking a deep breath, he nodded solemnly and sat down next to Bella and me on the sofa. He glanced over to Demitri, nodding once in a greeting.

"You clean up well, Archie," Demitri teased him. "And I see you've started a different diet."

"Yes, I have," Archie replied softly, but he turned back to Marcus simply out of respect. "Um, what would you like to know, sir?"

Marcus liked him instantly, but I wasn't sure if it was Archie's respectful nature, or the fact that he'd come so far. He asked him several questions, and Archie answered them all as truthfully as he could. If he couldn't remember due to his thirst, I had to provide the answer for him. At the end, Marcus said the one thing we'd all mentioned at one point or another.

"Hmm, if this Victoria was still around, I'd ask for her head," he huffed, nodding one time. "But...thanks to Edward, I don't have to." His voice sounded rather happy about that, but he sobered quickly. "This life is hard enough as it is. She truly made it more difficult for you than it needed to be." He sighed, his brow furrowing a little. "But..." He held up a finger, pointing around the room. "You couldn't have been discovered by a better coven...er, family."

"No, sir. I'm very lucky," Archie gushed.

Marcus eyed him closely. "You're lucky now. That's all that matters. We live long lives, son. We can, in all reality, reinvent ourselves an innumerable amount of times over eons. Our ability to learn, adjust, and continue on throughout time is a gift of this life. You're young in immortal years. Soon...this will all be just a black spot in your memory. You won't even count it as a part of your life, because now... Now, you'll truly learn to live."

Everyone in the room mentally agreed with him. Carlisle, especially, thought those words were wise. In fact, he felt that, until he'd found me and Esme, his life hadn't truly begun. As much as I appreciated that sentiment, it was the small, warm hand in mine that I squeezed.

The younger of us – Kevin, Adrian, and Bella – took his words to heart. They'd only just started this life, and all three were aware of the decades that lay ahead, but to hear that mistakes could be made, lives could get dull, and we'd continue on was something that they needed to know. Our ability to blend in or disappear or completely start anew essentially anywhere was reassuring to them. Whatever bad things happened _right now_ had no bearing a hundred or a thousand years from now.

"Now," Marcus said with a grin, rubbing his hands together like an excited child. "They tell me you have an extraordinary talent. Would you mind showing me? Please?"

Archie smiled a small smile, but in the blink of an eye, he was gone. Demitri laughed, shaking his head. But Marcus's eyes widened when he glanced around the room, sniffed the air, and turned to his traveling companion.

"Can you even find him?" he asked.

"No." Demitri laughed. "Not at all. And I'd be willing to bet that Edward can't hear him and Jasper can't feel him."

Jasper and I shook our heads no, wearing matching smirks.

"Alice, can you see him?" Marcus asked her.

"Hell, no," she snorted. "It makes looking into his future spotty."

Bella giggled. "But he's still _right here_," she said, poking the air beside her. "He's still solid."

Archie laughed, reappearing by her side.

"Impressive." Marcus mused, smiling over at Archie, but he turned to Carlisle. "He brought everything from his human days into this life. Only it enhanced far more than I'd have ever imagined."

"Yes, we think so, too," Carlisle responded with a nod.

"Thank you, Archie," Marcus said sincerely. "Well done."

Marcus was quiet for a moment but then stood up and started to pace. His mind centered on how he could use someone like Archie, but he'd never ask it of him, especially when the immortal was still battling within himself over so many fears. But glimpses of D.C. popped up in his mind, which caused me to pay closer attention. Several human deaths had been reported, and even more missing persons. Marcus needed help, but he didn't know if he had the right to ask. He felt the Cullens had done so much for him already. Too much, really. With the fight with Felix, rehabilitating Marcus when he was injured, and the fight in New York against Tanya, he felt to ask us for help would be an insult.

"Marcus," I stated, frowning and shaking my head. "Just ask. Whatever it is, we'll at least discuss it," I vowed.

He smiled sadly and nodded to me before turning to Demitri, "He's who we need." His words were cryptic, but his mind was calculating the distances between Italian cities. Marcus was keeping me out.

"I know, but you'll get more than that," Demitri said, wearing a wry smile.

"I wouldn't dare complain." Marcus chuckled, shooting a quick glance to Bella.

Alice gasped and looked between Marcus and Demitri before setting her eyes on Bella and me. "For what? And how long?" she asked, sounding as if she would cry. "Because they'll go!"

"Wait! Who'll go? And where are they going?" Emmett growled.

"Okay, everyone just calm down," Carlisle said soothingly, but he turned to Marcus to wait for an explanation.

It was Demitri that stood up. "We've run into an...issue in Washington. We believe there is more than one immortal causing the trouble. We've caught two, but the killings keep happening. The authorities blame a serial killer, but it can't be. The humans are...mutilated by the time they're found."

I could see my face flash to the front of Demitri's mind. "What do you need, Demitri?" I asked, sitting forward.

"We've caught a third vampire," Marcus answered instead. "She's violently talented, and Brandon is able to subdue that, but she won't answer a single question."

I inhaled deeply and let it out. "And you need me to read her mind," I surmised.

Bella huffed roughly. "And by violently talented, you mean...what?"

Demitri chuckled. "You've met Kate. You know what she can do by touch?" he asked, and everyone in the room nodded. "This girl can do it without touching. Lightning bolts straight from her fucking fingers... Sorry, Esme." He muttered the last two words, giving my mother a brief but contrite glance. "She can electrocute someone to the point that they burst into flames. She doesn't even need to fight."

"But she's protecting someone," Marcus added. "I know she is! She's nasty and brilliant, but she's not setting this up alone. And even though we've got her...contained, there are still bodies being discovered by the human authorities."

"We could really use your help, Ed. I need to know who she's protecting." Demitri sighed, grimacing when Bella growled low. "And I _swear to you both_...I'd never separate you. I know what that does, and I know it's a risk none of us would never take. We'd never ask that of you, Bella; trust me. In fact, you'd be most helpful, as well."

Bella nodded and turned to me. _It's your call, Edward. If you want to help them, that's fine, but we do it together._

I nodded that I'd heard her and squeezed her hand but looked to Carlisle. He wasn't pleased, but his mind was calm, knowing that Bella and I together were a force to be reckoned with, especially in a fight. Our lives were our own to lead as far as he was concerned, but we were his children, so he couldn't help but be worried.

"Edward, son... That is entirely up to you," Carlisle stated softly, much to Esme's horror. "My only request is that you be careful, take care of one another."

"And check in daily!" Esme added with a frown.

My brothers were no help. At all. They'd go just for the fight of it, the thrill of the chase, and Rose was with them. Alice, on the other hand, was calm yet disappointed. If I left, taking Bella with me, then that left the security of the family in her capable hands.

_I don't want you to go, but you will. And so far, I see you both returning safely,_ she thought to me, wrinkling her nose. _I also see you doing more than just...listening to someone's mind. You help them hunt...both of you._

I knew the words "so far" meant if everyone stayed true to whatever decisions they were making at the moment. And in a fight or an interrogation, any decision could change.

Clawing at my hair with my free hand, I turned to Bella. "What do you think?"

"It's your call," she reiterated aloud this time.

"Bella... What do you_ think_?" I asked, grinning at my girl.

She smirked. "We've certainly volunteered for worse tasks," she said wryly, aiming a raised eyebrow at Demitri, who simply grinned her way. "Do you want to stop this? If you want to help, we'll help. I'm just not staying here without you."

It really was that simple for her. We came as a package deal. We stayed together, or we left together. It wasn't up for debate. To stop a rogue vampire from preying on humans at the risk of outing us all, she was willing to go, but only hand in hand.

"My only worry is leaving Alice to watch over the family," I said, my brow furrowing. "I don't feel right about that."

Alice smiled, but she'd already accepted our leaving. "Everyone else is staying, _big brother_," she said, using her old nickname for me to make me feel better. "We'll be careful. I promise."

"What?! No!" Emmett whined. "Come on, Big D... You know you need some muscle!"

"Not at the risk of this family," Marcus countered. "I simply need Edward's – and possibly Bella's – talent to end this killing spree before someone realizes it's not a human doing it."

Jasper hadn't said much, but he looked to me and then Emmett. "We stay, Em. We're needed here. I hate missing out on a fight, but I think Edward would feel better if we were both here." What he didn't say aloud was that with Adrian and Kevin being so new to this life and with Archie still struggling, they would definitely be needed. Alice could only see so much. And my brother conveyed this to me silently. "Right, Ed?"

I nodded in agreement, clawing at my hair again. I hated leaving the family, but despite how Marcus and Demitri thought they'd asked too much of us, they'd always been there when our family needed them. Demitri had tried his best to control Tanya years ago, Marcus had fought beside us against Felix, and they'd both ordered the death of Tanya when she'd gone too far against us. The respect was mutual.

"You're leaving," Archie whispered, turning to Bella and then to me. "For how long?" he asked, but he posed the question to Alice.

"I see there's still snow when they return," she answered. It was the only answer she could honestly give him. Again, it depended on decisions made by too many people to be sure.

"When?" he asked Demitri and Marcus.

"Soon," Marcus stated but flinched when Esme growled.

"Oh, no. You're not leaving on Christmas Eve, dammit!" she huffed.

Demitri and Marcus looked thoroughly chastised, but they didn't want to leave Brandon with their prisoner for long. He could only hold someone without their talent for so long without it becoming trying on him.

"Fine then... Tomorrow?" Marcus asked, trying to placate her, but he wanted to get back. "You have my sincerest apologies for the timing, Esme. It wasn't chosen with malice."

She pursed her lips at him, but everyone turned to Bella and me because I'd yet to say whether or not we were actually going. I looked to my girl one more time.

She wrinkled her nose, thinking, _Okay, so maybe it'll be a good thing to go. Maybe Archie needs to separate a bit. It'll be good for him to learn to lean on others in this family._ She smirked at me a little. _And Mr. Cullen...I've never been to Washington D.C. Will you show me around?_

I laughed, loving that to her, everything was something new to experience. If anything gave me the green light to go ahead, it was that last proposition from her. I couldn't help but kiss her temple.

"We'll go," I stated to the room before breaking my gaze from Bella's. When I met Marcus's eyes, I said, "But we'll go in the morning. I won't deny Esme Christmas." That wasn't something I could do. It would hurt her badly.

The room was quiet, but the minds were loud. Archie was not happy whatsoever, but he knew there was nothing he could do about it. My brothers were worried, as was Esme. Carlisle was proud that I'd step in when needed, but our leaving made him anxious. In fact, he was with Esme about wanting to hear from us daily.

"Fine," Kevin huffed, standing up. He and Adrian had been silent throughout the entire discussion because they knew Marcus. They also knew that if it was serious enough for them to ask for help, then they'd accept whatever the outcome was. "No more talk of leaving for a moment. I can't deal with it. Right now... I want presents!"

He was hiding behind his humor, but he hated that we were going.

"Excellent!" Emmett gushed, but his smile didn't quite meet his eyes. "Everyone go get your shit and meet back here ASAP!" He grinned, standing up from the loveseat. "We'll tie on a Yuletide to fuckin' remember!"

"Emmett!" Esme growled.

"What?" he asked with an innocent expression, despite the laughter that enveloped the room.

"One day," she warned him, holding up a single finger. "One day, I'll truly wash your mouth out with soap."

He grinned shamelessly, shaking his head and shrugging. "You'll have to catch me first, _Mom_!"

Bella snorted, thinking he wasn't giving Esme any credit and that it would backfire on him some day soon. But my girl stood up, holding out her hand.

"Come on, handsome," she sighed, smiling slightly. "You can help me with ours. And I guess we need to pack, right?"

I nodded, kissing her hand. "Yes, ma'am. I guess we do."

* * *

**A/N... Before you ask... Yes, they really are going. And yes, you'll see Christmas before they leave with Marcus and Demitri.**

**Next, I wanted to warn you guys. The next few chapters are fairly detailed, so I may take the week to work on them. I may skip a posting some time this coming week. It most likely will be NEXT Sunday that gets skipped. I just wanted to give you guys fair warning.**

**There aren't any songs to add to the playlist this time, but there will be some soon.**

**I wanted to thank the surge of new readers that have pushed their way through the entire Angel series to get to this point... JUST WOW... Did you sleep? ;) I do read every single review, and I am grateful for them all. MWAH!**

**Chapter 25 is coming along pretty well, so I'll see you Wednesday. Until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N... So let me address a couple of questions... Will I let anything happen to Edward and Bella in D.C.? If you know my writing, then you have your answer. Will Esme ever wash Emmett's mouth out with soap? XD Intriguing, isn't it? LOL And the one serious question I wanted to address... Will I ever write when Bella loses Charlie? I honestly don't know the answer to that. It would be a test of my own personal life to write that, and the angst would skyrocket out of my control. Losing a parent isn't easy, and writing it down – even for fic – isn't as cathartic as you would think. So I really don't know if that is something I can attempt. I'm not saying no...but I sincerely doubt it'll happen this fic. I know that's not much of an answer, considering there may not be another in this series, but it would be extraordinarily hard on me to write that. Okay?**

**Don't forget...there will not be a post on Sunday. I just wanted to remind you. This will resume a week from today. Okie dokie? This is simply giving me much needed extra time to work on some details that need careful planning.**

**Now... I believe we left off at Christmas, and then our fave couple would be leaving. I'll let you get on with it...**

* * *

Chapter 25

**BELLA**

"Bella," Edward said softly as he set our stack of presents on the bed.

"Hmm?" I hummed from deep inside our closet as I tried to decide whether to take a large duffel bag or one big suitcase.

"The duffel," he answered for me, which made me laugh.

I dropped it onto the bed but met his worried gaze.

"We don't have to do this." His voice was soft, tentative.

"What? Christmas?" I asked sarcastically, raising an eyebrow at him and smirking when he huffed a small laugh through his nose.

I knew what he was talking about, but I was playing stupid on purpose. There wasn't a time that Demitri hadn't come to our aid when we'd needed it, so doing this for him and for Marcus wasn't a request that could be so easily turned down. Though, I'd ultimately left the decision up to Edward.

Instead of letting him worry that he'd made a mistake by offering to help, I simply asked, "How long am I packing for, Edward?"

He studied my face, listened to everything going on inside my mind, and eventually nodded in acquiescence. "Alice sees us there for a few weeks."

Nodding, I quickly raided our closet and dresser, packing dark shirts, jeans, and sneakers because if Alice said a few weeks, then we were going for more than just a chance for Edward to read someone's mind. We were going to hunt the streets of Washington D.C.

After I tossed our toiletry bag in on top of our clothes, I stood in front of him with my thoughts shielded. "Phone, Edward. Hand it over."

His eyebrows shot up, but he did as I asked. And something must have dawned on him because he smiled crookedly. "Did you make me another calendar?" he asked, his eyes darkening at the memory of the pictures I'd taken for him one year as a gift.

"No." I laughed and tossed his phone onto the bed, placing every present back into his arms and spinning him around to face the door. "Go. You'll get your Christmas present on the plane."

He groaned like a child, growling when I smacked his ass. He shot me a dark look before reaching for the small gift on the top of the pile in his hands.

"Here, sweet girl," he said, handing the beautifully wrapped present over. "Then, pack that. You'll get your present then, too."

I nodded, setting the gift on top of the duffel bag. Once Edward left the room, I grabbed his phone and went to work. I left it upstairs when I was finished because he didn't need it for anything before we needed to leave with Demitri and Marcus.

Exchanging gifts with my family was always an interesting experience. Alice always knew what she was getting, though it never mattered what it was because she was just in love with the holiday to begin with. Rose loved anything car repair related, so we all tried to get her the latest and greatest tools. Carlisle was easy; he loved books as much as I did, not to mention rare records to add to his collection on the bookshelf. Emmett was the easiest of all because there wasn't a game he wouldn't play or a new percussion instrument he didn't want to add to his kit.

Jasper did, indeed, receive socks for Christmas – along with a lot of new history reading material – and he threw them at me when I mouthed the word, "Stuffing," at him, which caused Edward and Alice to laugh hysterically. I was in love with the new Shakespeare collection that Carlisle and Esme had gotten me, and Alice had taken it upon herself to get me a bunch of really pretty new frames so that Edward and I could add to the pictures we had hanging on the wall of our bedroom.

Since it was Kevin's, Adrian's, and Archie's first Christmas with us, they were spoiled rotten. They got more things than they knew what do with, and Archie had a completely new wardrobe from my sisters.

We usually didn't go crazy, because in all reality, my family bought what they wanted when they wanted it throughout the entire year. In addition to silly or fun gifts to each other, we donated to charity. This year, it was another donation to St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Toby's name – Edward's last patient when he'd been working at the hospital in London. We'd also donated to a few local homeless shelters, the SPCA, and a rather large donation to Caribou's library, which we hoped would help Bob the librarian expand his computer section. Edward said he seriously needed to upgrade.

And then there was Esme, who loved anything and everything to do with her family, so we'd documented our clean up, antics, and renovation of the Varner house while she and Carlisle had been in Italy picking up Kevin and Adrian.

"Is that Edward?" she asked with a giggle, pointing to a picture of his paint-splattered, jean-covered ass.

"Yup!" I said with a cheesy grin. "You have no idea what I went through to get that."

Edward snorted, rolling his eyes, and said, "Little coward hid behind Emmett." He elbowed me gently, chuckling when I shrugged.

Em and I bumped fists, grinning over at Mom when she continued to laugh at all our silly pictures. We'd used our phones to take them. It was photos of us painting, scrubbing, and moving boxes. It was the garage before and after, the overflowing dumpster, and the atrocious dance to Bruno Mars that the boys had caught my sisters and me doing in the dining room. Edward's and my room was the biggest transformation because it had gone from a simple empty attic to a fully functioning bedroom – new bathroom and closet included. There were pictures of the boys rough-housing out on the front lawn over the never-ending boxes coming out of the trailer. But my favorite – and finally printed in sexy, beautiful, tangible proof – was the moving of the piano from the truck and into the house. And yes, they were all shirtless, flexing, and filthy by the time Rose had snapped the picture.

But what Esme loved the most was the simple, calm, sweet things we'd caught on camera. There was a quiet moment between Jasper and Alice as he played the guitar for her that I'd taken, a really beautiful one captured by Alice of Emmett and Rose, who were laughing hysterically over something in the garage, and one I hadn't realized that Jasper had taken of Edward and me. I was lying on my stomach atop the piano while Edward played. We were practically nose to nose, both wearing the smallest and sweetest of smiles. It was the way I used to listen to him play at our home in London.

Once we'd all been together, we'd taken pictures of Kevin and Adrian decorating their room, of Carlisle and Esme sitting on the back deck together, and finally, we'd added Archie. We'd put him in at the last minute, but he was still there. It was another round of chess, but this time with Carlisle instead of Edward, with everyone gathered around to watch and place bets. And because he was winning, Archie's face was happy, proud, and free of worry or fear.

Demitri and Marcus watched us all with smiles on their faces. They joined in on the teasing, the laughter, and of course, the Christmas carols that Esme requested that we sing while Edward played the piano.

It was when it came time for Edward and me to leave with Demitri and Marcus that things became...difficult. Carlisle seemed nervous, but he hugged us both, begging us to keep each other safe and to come home soon. Esme was a mess, but she did her best to stay strong. She swore she understood, but she simply hated being separated from her "kids."

Our brothers were different. Jasper and Emmett tossed advice our way, and Kevin and Adrian told Marcus that under no circumstances was anything to happen to us. Alice and Rose hugged me tightly, Alice whispering that we'd be fine but to make sure we made clear decisions so that she could keep a watchful eye on us.

We found Archie in his room, and I sat down on the bottom step that led up to the library as Edward leaned against the wall. Archie was pissed – or hurt; I couldn't quite tell – as he roughly flipped through the book on Maine that I'd given him for Christmas.

"Yes, we will, Archie," Edward said, like he was starting in the middle of an argument.

"No, you won't!" Archie snapped back, and he looked so young at the moment that my heart broke just a little. "You'll go...and you won't come back. Eventually, you'll all leave."

I held back my emotions, because at that moment, I could see that Archie really loved us, truly just loved us, and he felt that we wouldn't return. I asked softly, "Is that what you think? That just because others left, we will, too?"

When he didn't say a word, I knew I had my answer, and my shield lurched hard out of my control, almost pulling me off the step because he needed us so badly. There was a part of me that completely understood the fear and hurt that Archie was feeling. It wasn't that long ago that I'd felt the same way about the man standing beside me and the people in the other room that I now called family.

"Archie, no, sweetie," I groaned, shaking my head. "We will be back."

Edward eyed me for a moment, watching my struggle, but turned to Archie, who was frowning down at the book in his hands as he sat on his bed. My husband sighed, his voice soft, soothing – almost as if he were talking to a child.

"Do you understand why we're going?" Edward asked him, and Archie shook his head no. Edward nodded, shoving his hands into his front pockets. "I didn't think so. Archie, there are plenty of our kind out there that don't care, that terrorize humans, and wouldn't help another person – human or immortal – unless there was something in it for them. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Archie's voice was soft, but he wouldn't look at Edward yet.

"I've told you about my past, and Bella and I have both explained exactly how Demitri and Marcus has helped us over the years," Edward began. "There will be times that we are asked to help out in certain circumstances. It's the dynamic of this family to help others when needed. We don't want to be like everyone else. It isn't about the individual. It's about our kind in general. There is a vampire that is coming dangerously close to revealing what we are, and Marcus needs our help to stop them."

Archie looked up, his brow furrowed.

"No, I don't care about immortal-kind as a whole, but I care about my family," Edward countered whatever silent question he must have heard. "But if this one person continues along this violent path, questions will start to be asked, and we can't be discovered, Archie. If humans knew we existed, it would end us all. It would start a panic. And panicked humans as a mob are dangerous."

"Their request of us isn't out of line, Arch," I added, grimacing a little. "They've always been there for us. And this isn't our first time in a situation like this. Edward and I have fought before. I'm sure this won't be the last time."

Edward snorted, his eyebrows raising up as he nodded in agreement. "We'll be fine."

"Do you both have to go?" he asked us, glancing frantically between us.

"Yes." Our answer was in unison and firm.

"Archie," I sighed, standing up from my seat on the step and walking to sit next to him. "I've explained how our connection works. If Edward was to go without me, I'd collapse under the pain of it the very second he got too far. Edward would hurt so badly that he'd be useless to Marcus by himself. Too long apart, and we start to fail. But _together_... We can protect each other, work as a team, and possibly come back sooner."

I saw when Archie gave up. He looked completely defeated when he finally nodded.

"Hey," I whispered, making sure he was looking at me before I went on. "We're calling every day to check in." He nodded because I knew he'd heard Esme's request.

"Okay," he sighed, nodding as he picked up his Maine book again. "Thank you for this," he murmured quietly to us.

"You're welcome, Archie," Edward said with a chuckle. "Let us know if you find any interesting places to go in there. We'll check them out when we get back."

That promise, that vow to return, seemed to lighten the load on Archie's shoulders, and he smiled genuinely and nodded. Edward must have heard something in Archie's mind that needed to hear that, and I squeezed my husband's hand before we turned to leave.

"I've always wanted to see the ocean," Archie said softly just as we made it to the stairs.

Edward faced him, his expression solemn yet so very kind. "Then we'll go, Archie."

~oOo~

I fell into the seat of the private plane that Carlisle had secured for us at the last minute. It was his and Esme's way of thanking Demitri and Marcus for letting them spend Christmas Eve with all of their kids. It would also save us time getting to Washington instead of driving.

I gazed out of the window as Edward shook hands with the pilot. As usual, they most likely dismissed any on-board help.

"_Amore_," Marcus called softly from the seat across from me. "We've secured the two of you a room for the daytime hours. It's been sunny since we've been working in D.C., so we've been hunting mostly at night."

I smiled at him. "Sure, Marcus. Thank you."

"No, thank _you_, Isabella," he said, his Italian accent leaning on my full name the way it was meant to be said, and it made me smile. "We'll do our best to get you back home to your family. Esme will have my head if one single hair on either of you his harmed."

Laughing, I nodded in agreement. "You should be very afraid."

"Believe me, I am," he said with a wry smile. "And I'm well aware that neither of you have had a chance to really celebrate the holiday together, so once we're in the air, please take the flight together. We'll talk business once we've landed."

I leaned over and kissed Marcus's cheek. "Merry Christmas, Marcus."

"The hell?!" Demitri scoffed. "Where's mine!?"

Edward snorted, rolling his eyes behind our old friend. "I'm telling Carina when we see her," he teased him.

With a giggle, I gave Demitri a kiss on the cheek, as well. "Merry Christmas, you shameless thing," I said, rolling my eyes when Demitri grinned widely Edward's way.

Demitri and Marcus took their seats on the other side of the plane, and Edward fell down into the seat beside mine once he'd rummaged around in our bag for his gift to me. Leaning over, I kissed his lips. When the captain announced that he was preparing for take-off, we buckled in. It wasn't until we were well in the air that Edward took off his seatbelt and lifted the arm between us. We rearranged ourselves so that we were lounging together before he finally placed the small present in my hands.

"There's a story behind that," he said with a soft chuckle against my cheek. "I'll tell you when you open it."

Grinning, I ripped off the wrapping paper to see a small, black box. "Oh, Edward," I barely breathed, because inside was a beautiful diamond and sapphire bracelet.

Once Edward had secured it to my wrist, kissed my palm and then my lips, he spoke softly and quickly. "I knew I was bringing Charlie in for your present, but I wanted to get you something else. Something...tangible. Always," he said snickering a little to himself. "Alice usually leaves me alone for these things because she says I have a knack for knowing what you like. But this year, she practically tackled me in the front yard. She said it had to be sapphires; she just couldn't tell me why," he said, fingering the dark blue gem than now hung around my neck that had belonged to my mother.

I smiled up at him, kissing his lips. "It's perfect...and beautiful. Thank you," I whispered, pulling back to gaze at his handsome face. "I suppose you want your phone back, yeah?" I teased him.

He nodded vehemently like a child, grinning the most adorable smile.

Reaching into my jacket pocket, I pulled out his phone, along with a set of earbuds. Fiddling with the wire, I plugged them in, finally meeting Edward's excited gaze.

"Mine has a story, too," I started, smiling when his honey eyes broke from the phone to meet mine. "You aren't easy to buy for, so I didn't buy anything, really. But I wanted something that you'd carry with you. I put together a playlist for you...but it's a specific playlist."

I wanted to giggle at his bouncing knee because he couldn't see the list in my head. I'd shielded my thoughts from him.

"Alice helped me, too," I told him with a laugh. "She thought my list was missing something, so the first two songs on the playlist are your _real_ present. The rest are just...statements of how much I love you."

Edward's brow furrowed as he reached up to brush the backs of his fingers down my cheek. "I want to hear, my sweet girl..."

Steeling myself against nerves, I placed one earbud in his ear and one in mine. I started the playlist, settling against him as we both listened to the first song. It was Jasper's doing, having recorded me singing "Completely" by Jennifer Day. The words, the message, were everything that I needed to personally tell Edward, and we'd recorded it one day when he'd taken Archie hunting.

_You make me want to love you  
With every breath I'll love you, endlessly  
I'll give my heart, give my soul  
I won't hold back, I'll give you everything  
All of me, completely_

When the song was over, Edward's fingers quickly paused his phone, turning me. "That was...the most beautiful I've ever heard you, Bella," he gushed before kissing me absolutely stupid. An adorable yet curious expression came over his face. "Who... Who played the piano?"

"No one." I laughed, shaking my head. "It was a pre-recorded thing that Jasper found."

Pressing his forehead to mine, he whispered, "Thank you."

Grinning, I said, "You're not done, but you can kiss me like that after every song if you want."

"Mmm," he crooned, raising and eyebrow at me. "How long's this playlist, baby?"

"Long enough for all that kissing to drive us crazy," I murmured wryly.

Edward laughed, kissed me again, and asked, "Shall I continue, then?"

"Yeah, this is my favorite, but you can thank Alice again because she's a sneaky little thing," I told him with a smirk and an eye roll, but I opened my mind to let him see what I was thinking.

Alice was, indeed, sneaky. I was damned certain that she used her future seeing abilities to her own benefit some of the time, but others, she simply did what the visions told her to out of pure blind faith. Apparently, she'd seen herself recording a song or two as the boys played for fun in the library at home. She'd told me that she didn't know why she was doing it until later when she saw me make the decision for Edward's Christmas present.

Our sister had caught a rare moment when Edward and I were singing together. At first, I'd been skeptical about giving it to him, but when I'd listened to it, the song was perfect for us to sing. It was a promise between the two of us to face everything together, which was sort of fitting as we made our way to D.C.

Edward gasped as he caught the first few notes of "Between the Raindrops" by Lifehouse and Natasha Bedingfield. The song had been fun for the boys to play. Edward had been at the piano, Jasper and Kevin on guitars, and Emmett on his drums. But it was Edward's and my voices combined that simply shocked me. We were, in all reality, singing to each other.

_Walking between the raindrops  
Riding the aftershocks beside you  
Off into the sunset  
Living like there's nothing left to lose  
Chasing after gold mines  
Crossing the fine lines we knew  
Hold on and take a breath  
I'll be here every step  
Walking between the raindrops with you_

He paused the music again and smiled. He shook his head one time. "I've always wanted to record us. I just didn't think you'd let me." He grinned when I laughed. "Guess Alice knew that."

"I guess so." I giggled, shrugging a shoulder. "The rest is just a regular old playlist, but they are from me to you."

"There's nothing you've ever, _ever_ given me that's just...'regular old' anything, Bella," he countered, waiting for me to nod before hitting play.

We settled into one another's embrace and spent the rest of the flight lost in the music. I had specifically picked songs that said meaningful things, but I'd thrown in a few to make him smile, too.

We made out like teens in a drive-in to "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)" by Bryan Adams. It was slow, deep, languid kisses as Edward's fingers danced across my body like he was playing the piano along with the song. If he wasn't attacking my lips, claiming my mouth with stomach-clenching sweeps of his tongue, then he was whispering words of the song against my neck.

But he really laughed with the next song. He laughed so hard that his head fell back and he covered his face, which was beautiful to watch. Shifting us around so that I was cradled in his arms as the song continued to make him chuckle, he kissed me roughly. It was a song I'd added at the last minute, shielded from Alice, and simply wanted to put in there for the sound of the laughter that made it all worthwhile. "Talk Dirty to Me" by Poison was perfect and funny and an inside joke that Edward truly loved.

When the song was over, he grabbed my chin and kissed me again. "The first chance I get, love. I promise," he vowed, smiling beautifully.

There were songs that made his eyes soften to a warm honey as he listened. Another song made him chuckle, but others made him stare at me in wonder or kiss me until I didn't know my own name, which he was quick to remind me was Mrs. Isabella Cullen. It was older songs that we'd danced to, like "Natural Woman" by Aretha Franklin. It was soulful songs that told him he was my Prince Charming, my angel, my king, like "He Is" by Brandy. It was rock, soul, pop, and whatever I could find, but it was all his.

By the time we'd gone through the playlist, we were about to land in D.C. Before we shifted around to sit in our seats correctly, he grabbed my face, looking at me through heated yet loving eyes.

"That was better than anything you could've ever bought me, my sweet, beautiful girl," he said, kissing me briefly. "You say I'm hard to buy for, but I need nothing when you love me that much, when you give me a piece of that exquisite heart of yours. Understand?"

Swallowing back a surge of emotions, I nodded, whispering, "Merry Christmas, Edward."

He smiled, kissing my forehead, my nose, and finally my lips. "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Cullen."

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

"Little one, you're leaving nose prints on the windows," Demitri teased Bella, ducking when she smacked at him blindly.

"Shut it," she huffed, but her eyes barely broke away from the view out her side of the car. "I've only ever seen this on TV."

"Ignore him, Isabella," Agosto crooned from the driver's seat, giving her an adoring look in the rear view mirror. "You stare all you want," he told her because he was specifically taking the route that would drive her by the biggest sights.

Demitri grinned, as did Marcus, but they looked to me. I simply shook my head because watching her mind absorb every detail of Washington's monuments and landmarks was better than looking out the window myself.

We'd already checked into our hotel, The Mayflower, which was located pretty close to everything. It was a beautiful hotel, which Bella fell in love with immediately. Unfortunately, we'd needed to quickly change clothes, check in at home that we'd arrived safely, and jump right back into the car so that Agosto, who had picked us up from the airport, could take us straight to where Brandon, Carina, and Catherine were holding the immortal that needed questioning.

"You brought the clouds with you, Edward," Agosto said. "I was afraid that poor Brandon wouldn't last until sundown."

"Maybe we'll get a head start with whatever you hear from this girl," Demitri mused, looking at his phone. "Tomorrow, the sun will be back, so we'll need to make sure we're out of the public eye by morning."

Marcus nodded that he'd heard Demitri, but he turned to me, his thoughts on the task at hand. "Edward, Bella, depending on what this immortal is concealing, we may need to track the streets tonight. And if Brandon has exerted his talent too much, we'll need you to shield this girl to allow him to rest, Bella," he said, and my girl reluctantly pulled herself away from the window to settle in at my side.

"You say she's powerful," Bella stated, looking between all the nodding heads, but her mind wondered if this immortal worked like Jane, with a harsh feel to her power, or like the giant we'd fought that could manipulate fire. If it was the latter, Bella felt that she had to be careful because she could, in all reality, seal the girl's fate by shielding her. Her own electrical charge would have nowhere to go but to turn in on its master, essentially causing the girl to electrocute herself.

I flinched, gazing at her for a moment.

"I know," she sighed, shrugging a shoulder. "It'll be tricky in order for you to hear her but to protect us at the same time."

"I have faith you can handle her, _amore_," Marcus told her. "We just need to hold on long enough to ask her who is running this show, because since we've been keeping her hidden, there have been two more deaths."

Shaking my head slowly, I gazed out the window at the Lincoln Memorial as we drove by. "This sounds like newborns."

"I thought so, too, Ed," Demitri concurred. "Not many, but there have to be some roaming these streets. We've tracked everywhere."

"What's her name?" Bella asked as we left the major part of town.

I chuckled when all three men stared at her blankly, their minds at a loss.

My girl laughed, shaking her head. "Really? You didn't even ask this girl her name?"

"She's very stubborn, Bella," Demitri sneered. "And mean."

I wrapped an arm around her shoulders when she scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Easy, love. I know you can out-stubborn her."

Bella grinned but turned to gaze out the window as city fell away to residential. The homes were beautiful, and they became sparser as we drove on, eventually pulling into a long driveway. It looked to be a ranch-style property, with wooden fences and plenty of room.

"We bought it," Demitri answered my unasked question. "We had no choice. We'd been living out of hotel rooms, but we needed to be able to ask questions of these immortals without drawing attention and be close to hunting. This is as rundown as that house you guys just fixed up."

"Fantastic," Bella muttered, smirking when he chuckled. "Any invisible vamps running around in the basement?" she asked, but immediately regretted the joke because Archie's reaction to our leaving had broken my poor, sweet girl's heart.

"No," I whispered against her temple, "and Archie will be just fine, my love. He didn't like it, but he'll survive. He's strong."

I wanted to tell her that the only reason he'd given in was that he never, ever wanted to see us in pain. Bella's description of what happened when she and I separated had been too much for him. But I kept it to myself. She was worried about him enough as it was. If she thought he'd been wrecked when we left, she'd feel worse.

Demitri silently asked me if we'd grown attached to Archie, but he stopped himself. He could see that we had, and it wasn't the time to ask what we were going to do with the strange immortal in the future. We were pulling to a stop outside what looked to be an old, decrepit barn.

The property was pitch black – though we could see just fine – except for a flickering glow from inside the barn. We were met at the car by Carina, who quickly kissed Demitri, but hugged me and then Bella.

"They stole you, didn't they?" Carina asked, shooting a narrowed eyed glance to Marcus and Demitri. "On _Christmas_!" she huffed, rolling her eyes. "Esme must be thrilled."

Bella giggled and hugged her again. "She wasn't happy, but those two have been thoroughly threatened, so don't worry."

"Edward, Bella," Catherine greeted as she quietly let the barn door close behind her. "It's good to see you both. Sorry those two just couldn't wait."

Demitri scoffed, rolling his eyes to Marcus. "You'd think we'd planned this shit. Believe me, I'd rather be anywhere else than right here for fucking Christmas."

My mind caught Carina's thoughts, and I turned to look at her. "How's Brandon holding up?"

"He needs to hunt, but we can't risk him giving Trina her gift back," she replied, grimacing a little, but she gestured to the arm of her shirt where the material was singed black and shredded. "He'd needed to hunt before we caught her, so he's pushing it."

"So she _does _have a name," Bella teased with a smirk, which only made Demitri and Marcus chuckle.

"Well, we only know that because we found her phone," Catherine explained, though she was thoroughly enjoying Bella's teasing of the ancient ones. "She's weak, as well, but she's not a fighter. Without her talent, she's pretty useless."

"I knew Bella's gift would come in handy," Marcus mused softly. "_Amore_, do you think you could hold her?"

Bella simply nodded, and we all followed Demitri into the barn. My eyes widened at the sight before me. The inside was a typical abandoned barn – dirt floors, broken down stalls, and a plethora of scents. Scattered all over the open space were singe marks on the floors, the posts, and the stall gates. Brandon looked exhausted as he leaned against a large post in the center of the barn. Sitting at the post opposite of him was a small girl, but closer inspection showed that she was frozen somewhere in her mid-twenties.

Her eyes were hate-filled, black, and beyond contemptuous, but I couldn't hear a single thought in the room because Brandon's power was everywhere.

"Oh, thank God," Brandon sighed, almost sagging in relief at the sight of Bella. "Bells, you gotta take this bitch."

My girl simply grinned, walking to him and setting a hand on his shoulder. "Missed you, too, B," she teased. "But you're killing this whole room. I can't do anything until you let go."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Brandon told her but looked to me with black, weary eyes. "I lose focus when I need to hunt."

"I understand," I said, walking to him. "We can handle it for now, at least until you go hunt."

"Brace yourselves," Carina muttered, eying Trina, who had been watching our approach.

Brandon locked gazes with Bella, who nodded, but the very second Trina felt her power return, blue lightning shot out from her hands and out around her. Demitri, Marcus, and Carina dived into one of the stalls. Catherine grabbed Brandon and tugged him toward the door. A white-hot, burning sensation hit my upper arm, dropping me to my knees, the smell of my own burned flesh meeting my nose.

"Dammit!" Bella growled, and suddenly, all movement, noise, and electricity came to a complete and utter halt. "Edward?" she asked, immediately at my side.

Glancing up, what I saw made me almost chuckle. Bella had Trina pinned high up on the post that she'd been leaning against, her own hands flat against her thighs, and from what I could tell, Bella was holding her way tighter than necessary – most likely in revenge.

"Let me see, baby," Bella ordered gently, tugging my hand away.

My girl eyed my bicep, fingering the ripped and still-smoking fabric. Looking down, I could see that I was already starting to heal, but I was leaking venom pretty badly. We stood up, but Bella leaned in, giving my upper arm a long, slow, open-mouthed kiss. Her own venom expedited my healing, leaving my skin as good as new.

"Thanks, sweet girl," I whispered, kissing her forehead.

"Mmhm," she hummed, locking angry gazes with me before turning to Demitri, who stepped into the open part of the barn. Her mind was battling with seeking revenge for hurting me or just simply doing what was asked of her, which was hold this immortal until further notice. It was a tough call for her.

"Okay, Ed?" Demitri asked.

I nodded, scowling at my ruined shirt, but shrugged. "I'll live. But she's not Kate," I told him with a grin.

"No shit. Hurts like hell, right?" He laughed, placing a hand on Bella's shoulder. "Little one... Perhaps bring her down a few feet?"

Bella huffed, rolled her eyes, and dropped the girl to the floor harshly, only to slam her back into the post, which gave an eerie crack.

"Easy, _amore_," Marcus murmured, though he was highly amused at Bella's attitude, as was everyone else in the room, except for Trina.

The girl was glaring at Bella with such hatred that it was probably a good thing I still couldn't hear her thoughts. Trina's face was murderous.

Marcus glanced past me to Catherine and Brandon. "Get him fed. Come right back."

Catherine nodded, and in a flash, the two were out of the barn and running across the field, their thoughts fading into the distance.

"Bella, give Trina here some space," Demitri requested.

Bella loosened her control but didn't relinquish it completely. The results were a giant ball of electricity and a high-pitched scream, because Trina had tested her new boundaries. And that only caused her great pain because Bella's shield rebounded it right back.

"Oh, damn." Demitri chuckled softly, looking to Marcus.

"Bet that hurt," Marcus surmised, fighting his smile as Trina twitched a little after having shocked herself. "I hate to tell you, but you're in a shield's control. Do you know what that is?" he asked, but the girl didn't say anything; she just scowled at all of us, a low growl rumbling throughout the barn. "Hmm... Didn't think so. She's wrapped it around you. Whatever you send out will only ricochet right back to you."

"I'm not fucking telling you anything!" Trina finally spoke, but she gave Bella a wary glance.

"Ah, but see...you will," Demitri said with a dark chuckle, giving us a wink. "Otherwise, I'll have Bella here rip you apart without even touching you."

Bella fought her smile, leaned against a post, and constricted her shield again. Slowly and deliberately, she started to pull at Trina's arms. Trina grunted and winced at the feel, but said nothing. My girl wasn't going to do it, but she could have. Her eyes flickered to Demitri, who gave her the silent signal to pull back. When Bella released her again, another bright flicker of lightning bolts lit up the dark barn.

"Trina," Marcus sighed, shaking his head and walking toward her. "You're only hurting yourself." Marcus gave Bella another signal behind his back – the one that told her to pull her shield completely. But at the same time, he was mentally telling me to be ready to listen. "Young one, we simply need to know who your sire was. Who made you? And where are they?"

He asked specific questions, knowing that her mind would think the answer for me to see. My brow wrinkled at her thoughts. The face of a male vampire was the first thing I saw. He was large – about the size of Emmett – with sharp red eyes and a sneer on his face. I saw a rundown neighborhood, the flash of a street sign, and a barely there thought about another two immortals that seemed out of control. But before I could gather any more from her, she started to lift her hands.

Bella reacted instantly, slamming her shield down around Trina. Her scream made us all flinch, but Bella stepped forward.

"It won't work," she said in a normal tone of voice. "Your powers will only continue to hurt _you..._no one else in this barn. Keep it up, and I'll just rip off your arms..."

"Fuck you, bitch!" Trina spat, her eyes flickering to me when I stepped forward with a growl.

Demitri's large hand landed smack in the middle of my chest as I stared down the girl. "No," he told me calmly aloud, but his thoughts were much more detailed. _Easy, Ed. Did you get anything from her?_

I nodded, but sneered, "Not enough."

Bella watched us with a keen eye, thinking, _Should we wait for Brandon, baby? Or keep going in spurts?_

"Keep doing what you're doing, love," I answered her, backing away a little, but my eyes never were far from Trina. "I suppose you could start with her feet..." I taunted, shrugging dramatically.

Demitri grinned, spinning to Trina. "Excellent...if we lose them, then she'll be shit outta luck."

Bella – God, I loved her with a sickness – bit down hard on her bottom lip to keep from laughing, because she tugged just hard enough on her shield to cause Trina to fall to her ass on the floor. The girl's sneakers started to peel away – first the rubber sole, then the foam stuff underneath, and finally, the shoestrings unraveled.

Trina fought with everything she had as her socks disintegrated. Her knees squirmed, her head fell back to the post behind her, and her hands accidentally shot out a random stream of electricity.

"Stop, stop, stop..."

"Nah, keep going. Bella, take her kneecaps," Demitri ordered.

"Wait, you fuckers!" Trina growled.

We were playing on the girl's survival instincts, and she was falling right into it. Unfortunately, I'd already seen Marcus's mind – she wouldn't live to see another sunrise. She was too powerful, extremely unpredictable, and extraordinarily volatile. With his sight for loyalty, he could tell she'd never be more than a problem – a thought that saddened him, really, because he could appreciate her abilities.

Demitri held a hand up to Bella and knelt beside the girl as much as the shield would allow. "We just wanted to talk, Trina," he lied smoothly, turning on his Italian charm by smiling at her. "You can keep your feet, your kneecaps, and your arms if you'll just behave. Can you do that?"

She collapsed back against the post and nodded.

"We just want to know who made you," Marcus reiterated.

She was weary and scared as she gazed up at him, and when Bella pulled her shield away one more time at the request of Demitri, then I saw much, much more.

Her thoughts were frantic, scared. Her sire, who she thought of as Brett, hadn't told her that there were any rules. She hadn't known that immortals had to answer to anyone, because Brett lived his life the way he wanted. They feasted on the humans they found alone, away from others – joggers at night, the person walking their dog, the late-night commuter. The problem rested with Brett himself. He was arrogant, making another newborn and another. There were three vampires still roaming the streets of D.C., and I groaned at the problem.

Well, hell," I sighed, shaking my head but turning to Marcus. "His name is Brett...her sire. He usually keeps to a pretty rough neighborhood down Pennsylvania Avenue. Their main priority is to take humans that are alone, but Brett's created two newborns that he's not controlling, besides this one. He just set them loose on the streets, telling them that they can take what they want as long as they aren't seen or go out in the daytime. It's a wonder they haven't been spotted."

Trina launched herself at me with a growl, and I could hear the crackling snap from her fingertips, but she was stopped, slammed down to the dirt floor, and enveloped in her own nasty charge before I could blink. Her screams erupted again, only this time, I could smell the singed scent of burned fabric.

"Okay, so we start in this neighborhood you saw," Marcus said, wincing at Trina's useless struggle against Bella's shield.

"It doesn't make sense, though," I told him, my brow furrowing. "You should've have caught a scent of him or something, right?"

"We probably have, Ed," Demitri said with a shrug. "But we didn't question the first two we killed. We just got rid of them. As soon as the killings continued, we realized that we had a problem. And of course, we pick Miss Electric Eel to interview," he muttered sarcastically, gesturing to the growling, snarling girl in front of him.

I smirked, shaking my head, but looked to Marcus when his thoughts were directed to me. "No, Marcus, I don't think so. You can try, but it looks like more trouble than it's worth."

"I figured as much," he sighed, looking to Bella. "_Amore_, I don't think we need to wait for Brandon any longer. Could you help me out, Isabella? Please?"

"Sure, Marcus," Bella agreed, but her nose wrinkled. With a quick twist of her shield, all screaming, electric sparks, and growling stopped completely, leaving only a heavy thump when Bella let the girl go.

"I got this, Marcus," Agosto said, waving us on as he gathered up the pieces of the girl. "Perhaps you'd like to get started?"

Demitri sighed a breath of relief, opening his arms for Carina when he stood up.

"You okay, Bella?" I asked, making sure the ripping apart of an immortal hadn't bothered her, but I laughed at her scowl my way.

"She...hurt you, _burned_ you! Oh, yeah, Edward, I'm _absolutely_ okay," she grumbled.

"Marcus, you stay here for now," Demitri said, but it was more of a request to keep Marcus safe. "We'll hit the streets now since the day is cloudy. Maybe we'll luck out and locate these immortals."

Marcus nodded and placed a hand Bella's and my shoulders. "Don't take risks. Be extremely careful, and if you don't need them for information, get rid of them. Okay?"

"Sure, Marcus," Bella and I said at the same time.

"Why, yeah, Marcus... We'll be fine, too," Demitri teased, gesturing between himself and Carina, who was giggling.

"Yeah, well... You answer to me." Marcus laughed and then pointed to Bella and me. "Esme will burn me alive if something happens to them."

Bella and I laughed, as did Agosto, Carina, and Demitri.

"Come, guys," Demitri said, still snickering. "I've got something you'll both enjoy."

We followed him out the back of the barn to see two high-end motorcycles sitting side by side – one black, the other, silver. Bella beamed, looking up at me.

"Let's go. And try not to wreck them, okay? They're rentals," Demitri added. "Edward, if you know where you're going, then we'll follow you," he said, getting on the silver bike with Carina on the back.

"I do." I straddled the black bike, helping Bella onto it behind me. "It's not far from the White House area. Ready?" I asked my girl, and she wrapped her arms around my waist.

"Yeah, baby. Go."

I grinned back at her, starting the bike. "Okay. Hold on, sweet girl."

* * *

**A/N... **grins** That interrogation was so damn fun to write! LOL Anyway, Christmas went okay, though fairly quickly. Archie wasn't happy, but he'll get through. And it seems they've got a few rogue vamps to track down. Newborns, at that.**

**I'm sure most of you want to know Bella's full playlist... Well, this is the highlights of it and what I listened to while putting this chapter together.**

"**Completely" by Jennifer Day... This is from the movie _Where the Heart Is_. And a huge Mooch to GooberLou for tossing it my way, because it literally made me swoon.**

"**Between the Raindrops" by Lifehouse ft. Natasha Bedingfield. This...to me, anyway...ranks up there with "Wanted." It's so very, very fitting for Edward and Bella. And I've played it like crazy.**

"**Everything I Do (I Do it For You)" by Bryan Adams**

"**Talk Dirty to Me" by Poison … This made ME laugh out loud, so I know you can totally see Edward crack the hell up.**

"**Natural Woman" by Aretha Franklin**

"**I Believe in a Thing Called Love" by The Darkness … this was the other silly song that made him laugh.**

"**He Is" by Brandy … This is beautiful. Thanks to JenRar for this one! MWAH**

"**You and Me" by Lifehouse**

**There you have what I played while writing.**

**Okay...big hugs to all of you. I'll see you next Wednesday. But I'll be around on FB (Deb Drotuno Rotuno) and on Twitter (Drotuno)... I'll see you soon. Until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**

**Beta's Note from Jenny: Because Mixpod closed, the playlists on Deb's blog went kapoot. I searched around and found one I thought would work okay for what we needed. As of right now, the playlist for ****_Haunted Angel_**** is up-to-date. It'll be a while, but over time, I'll be going through the other Angelward fics and compiling a list of the music in those, as well, to make playlists on the new site. Just a couple of things about the new one: You can click the X by a song, and it will remove it from the playlist – but only for you and only until the next time you load the page. So if you wanted to listen to the whole playlist, but you don't want to hear one of the songs, click the X, and it'll take it out temporarily. Also, when you click to play the songs, it will default to just audio. At the top of the playlist, though, you have the option to watch the music video, as well. Enjoy!**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N... First...On a serious note... There are TWO of my readers this week that have lost their mothers. You know who you are, and I want you to know that my heart is with you and hurts for you. My thoughts are with you and your families, especially through the holidays. I lost my own mother 16 years ago, so I know it's probably one of the hardest things to push through. I send you both huge hugs.**

**So not many questions to answer this time around, but you guys survived the Sunday skip. I'm proud of you. I know it was missed. Several of you messaged me and told me, but I really, REALLY needed the time to work on some touchy details. Thank you guys so much for your patience.**

**To my firefighter PERV CLAN... Umm...lots of bets lost. See? I have to keep you on your toes. LOL And to the "dirty talking" wish? The story isn't over. Okay? ;)**

**Oh...I mention a park in D.C. called Rock Creek Park. I took a few liberties with it, so any untruths are all mine and totally used for fictional purposes. However, it is a little over 2 miles square...that part is true.**

**This chapter comes with a LEMON WARNING and a VIOLENCE WARNING...so just keep that in mind. Not that you listen. Most of you just go on and read the lemons anyway, no matter where you are. ;) God, I love ya for it!**

**Okay, time moves ahead a little. Actually, there are two time jumps, so just watch for them. Now...let's see how things are progressing in D.C.**

* * *

Chapter 26

**BELLA**

Slamming open our hotel room door and stalking in, I held back my growl at the sight of the bright rising sun shining through the windows. I was too pissed off – and completely filthy – to enjoy the amazing view that our suite gave of Washington D.C.

"Bella..."

"Just...don't." I held up a hand, not even bothering to look Edward's way. "It was really, really stupid. I know!"

"I would never say that," he muttered softly, sounding offended.

We'd been tracking this Brett vamp for weeks. He and his newborns were proving evasive. Demitri had caught one newborn, and Edward, the other, but it seemed Brett had made a few more. Marcus was now thinking Brett simply wasn't draining them completely, therefore creating these newborns without knowing it.

We'd come close to catching Brett so many times that it was beyond frustrating. It was as if he had a talent to escape – not unlike Victoria. But I'd been so close just a few hours ago that I hadn't stopped the chase. I'd run down practically the entire length of the Potomac River just to catch him, but I'd lost track of the time and my surroundings so I'd almost been caught out in the sunlight when dawn approached. And even worse, I'd almost allowed my speed to be seen in Georgetown Park by a D.C. cop that had been patrolling the last place a body had turned up. Yeah, I was an idiot.

"You're not an idiot, Bella," Edward argued, hearing my thoughts loud and clear.

I sighed heavily through my nose, finally turning to glare at him. "Really?" I asked incredulously. "You're over there yelling for me to let him go...and I didn't listen. I _should've_ listened. But...I _didn't_."

Edward smirked, shook his head, and shoved his hands into his front pockets. God, we were both disgusting and covered in dirt and river water because Edward had unfortunately had to tackle _me_ to get me to stop, and we'd rolled into the water...and muck. How the hotel employees didn't kick us out was a miracle. And I honestly didn't know what was worse: hanging out in drug neighborhoods all damn night, or falling into a damn river.

"Your instinct to catch him overrode anything else, sweet girl," he explained calmly. "It worked out okay. Alice guided us into the parking garage without any..."

It hadn't worked out okay, because I hadn't caught the asshole that had disappeared into thin air. I growled, spinning around to walk into the bathroom. My clothes, my skin, even my hair reeked of nasty river water. I didn't want to talk about Alice – or anyone else in the family, for that matter. I missed them all like crazy. I missed them to the point of Skyping with them daily, just to see them act like the fools I loved.

We weren't the only ones that had failed at catching Brett. Demitri was so pissed off that he wouldn't discuss his last chase. He could catch the immortal's mind, but he couldn't actually put his hands on him, and the guy knew to keep evading, keep running until the sun came up. And the sunny days...they were every day. They'd been bright every day since the new year – which Edward and I had celebrated in the middle of an abandoned crack house when we'd caught the newborn Edward had killed. That did _not_ go down as one of my favorite holidays.

"I'll make it up to you," I heard behind me as I turned on the shower as hot as it would go.

I fought my smile but didn't turn around. The only absolute bright spot in this whole thing was having Edward all to myself. We treated every sunny day stuck inside the hotel room like it was a mini-vacation.

"Stop being all sweet, Edward. I hate it. I messed up. Just say it!" I yelled, but my puffed-up demeanor deflated at the sight of his face because Edward probably didn't really know how to yell at me – not in anger toward me. He'd raged _to_ me before, but never _at_ me.

His adorable face ran the gamut of emotions – amusement, worry, frustration, and even a little touch of anger. He shook his head, pointing to the shower. "Just...shut up and get in," he sighed.

Nodding, I shed my clothes and tossed them straight into the garbage can. They'd merely be replaced by Alice in a few days. She'd taken it upon herself to keep us in what I'd come to refer to as disposable clothes. I'd laughed when the first box showed up at the front desk of the hotel, filled with black jeans, dark shirts, socks, and sneakers. Five boxes later, it wasn't all that funny.

I stepped under the hot spray, my forehead falling to the tile with a dull thump. I could feel the granules of dirt skate down my sensitive skin, over my feet, down the drain. But I knew I wouldn't stay alone in the shower for long. That simply wasn't Edward's way of handling me when I was pissed off.

"You're mad at yourself, my beautiful girl," he said, stepping in right behind me. He wrapped his arms all the way around me, holding me tightly, but his mouth was right at my ear. "You put in a hell of a chase, Bella. I can't be mad about that. You came damn close, but you just ran out of time."

I let those words sink in as we stood beneath the hot water. Turning around, I wrapped my arms around Edward's waist, burying my nose into the crook of his neck.

"If it makes you feel better, Demitri texted that he caught a newborn," Edward murmured gently against my cheek.

"No," I grumped, "because that simply reminds me that my phone is now water-logged and ruined." I pulled away a little when Edward snorted. "And don't say that we'll get a new one when the sun goes down. I know... I just..."

His eyes suddenly swirled black as he grasped either side of my face. "Stop!" he growled forcefully, his brow furrowing. "I know you hate him. I know you want to catch him, but believe me, things could've gone a lot worse last night than they did. Let it go. You're in one piece, and so am I. This vampire is bound to make a mistake. And when he does, we'll be there. But for now, just _let it go_!"

My hands curled into fists on his chest, and I glared at his sternum rather than his face. Nodding silently, I stayed quiet, reaching for shampoo. Edward let me have the moment, trying his best to stay calm, but I could tell that I was finally pushing his patience limit. And that wasn't what I wanted, either.

By the time we stepped out and wrapped towels around us, Edward groaned, but he reached for me, slipping his hand into the hair at the base of my neck in a firm grip to tilt my gaze up to his.

"What do I have to do, Bella?" he asked, his voice barely holding back the growl. "You did nothing wrong. The crisis was averted. Tell me. I'll fucking do anything you tell me to assure you that you didn't do a damned thing wrong."

My eyes narrowed at his cursing, not because I was mad, but because he so very rarely just blurted it out like that. I felt my eyes darken, my breathing pick up, but mostly, my entire being reacted to my mate's command.

"Tell me, love," he whispered, his forehead falling to mine.

"I feel like a failure."

"I know. You're not. He's talented."

"I just want this _done_, Edward," I stated firmly, almost whining.

"I know that too, baby."

"You should totally be pissed off at me," I told him, my brow furrowing.

Edward fought his smile and won. "I should be? But I'm not. As much as I'd like to think that you're perfect, Bella, you aren't. Neither am I. I haven't caught this guy, either, you know. Maybe you should be pissed off at me."

I bit my lip hard in order to not laugh. "Maybe I am pissed at you," I said haughtily, which was a blatant and bold-faced lie.

"Good," he purred, sweeping his lips across mine, and it only caused a fire to light deep inside of me. "Because you're so very fucking sexy when you're mad at me."

That was it. I snapped, taking my complete and utter bad mood out on kissing him. And he caught up to me instantly. Teeth grazed against lips, towels fell away, and tongues fought for dominance, which he wouldn't allow me to have. Even in our kiss, he was fighting me, because I needed it.

I found myself pinned down in the middle of the bed, a looming and slightly dark-looking Edward above me. His breathing was heavy like my own, but his eyes raked across my face, searching, seeking whatever it was that he needed to see.

"Just fucking tell me, Bella," he growled low, gripping fistfuls of the comforter on either side of my head when I leaned up to rake teeth and lips over his throat and collarbone.

"Take it away, Edward."

It was a cryptic statement, and I wasn't sure if it was my foul mood I was talking about or the failure of a night we'd just gone through. Maybe both. I wasn't sure, but what I did know was that I didn't want gentle or sweet or kind. I wanted to be fucked...and hard.

Edward's nostrils flared with the thoughts he saw flashing through my mind, and without any preamble, he turned me over, only to lay his entire body over mine, his lips right at my ear. Once again, long fingers threaded into my hair, and my head was pulled back.

"Are you _sure_ that's what you want?" he crooned low, a rumble vibrating against the skin of my back.

When I nodded, he used a knee to spread my leg out to the side, and my hips raised up off the bed on instinct, but he forced me back down with his own, his thick, hard cock gliding between my folds. He teased, never quite allowing his tip to brush against my clit. He just barely grazed over my entrances.

"Edward," I growled, looking over my shoulder as he inhaled my skin from my shoulder, all the way up to my earlobe.

His black eyes locked with mine, and his smile was evil, carnal, and so very fucking sexy. Swirling his tongue over my shoulder, he then scraped his teeth across my skin. When he latched down in a bite, he sheathed himself deep inside of me.

"Unngh!" I groaned out, my head falling to the bed, but it was wrenched back.

"I'll fuck you hard, Isabella. Anytime." Edward's voice was low, raspy, deadly. "But _this_..." he said, pulling out, only to thrust so hard back into me that my hips lifted up off the bed and his name to erupt from me. "This is not punishment. Understand?"

I tried to nod because that I was all I was capable of; he'd rendered me completely speechless and at his mercy. His hips pinned my own, his hand was atop one of mine by my head, his other hand left my hair, only to grip my ass, and his teeth held me in submission. It was a sire controlling his creation, a vampire dominating what was his, and an amazing husband that would do anything to take away the bad stuff.

This wasn't making love. This wasn't even fucking. This was mating. And it was...

"So good!" I ground out through gritted teeth when it seemed Edward went deeper, using a swiveling thrust just to hit the spot that made my eyes roll back into my head.

"You mean..._this spot_?" he asked, letting go of my hip and wrapping a strong arm around my shoulders from behind.

That position arched my body in a way that made everything that much better, deeper, harder. Edward knew exactly how I'd react with every touch, kiss, bite, and word spoken.

"Of course, I do." He nipped at my earlobe, his breathing heavy in my ear. "I know every inch of your body, baby. I own it. Control it. Isn't that what you wanted? To be _mine_?"

"Oh, God, yes..." I panted, my hands gripping at the comforter at the sound of just how true that was. Possessive Edward did own me.

Edward smiled evilly against my neck, giving it one last hard, sucking kiss before he unwrapped himself from around me. Forcing my shoulders down to the bed, he sat back on his knees, grasping my hips to raise them up, never missing a single stroke. His long fingers ghosted down my spine, around to my breast, cupping it, only to glide down to my ass.

"Oh, sweet, sweet girl," he crooned, slowing down just a little as his hands drove me closer and closer to the edge I needed so badly. One snaked around to my clit, finding me swollen and extra sensitive. The other swirled around my other entrance. "You have no idea how pretty your ass is, all spread open...wet and needy for me."

He drove into me, pulling his hands away, causing my just-about-there moment to slip away. He chuckled darkly once, smacking my right ass cheek. Hard. "If this were punishment, baby, I wouldn't let you come."

My whole body clenched at the sting that just about kicked me over the precipice. He leaned back over me, making sure I was watching when he sucked his own finger in his mouth.

"But I'm a selfish, selfish man, Bella... I love to watch you fall apart when I'm fucking you," he said, dragging his wet middle finger across my bottom lip before sitting back again.

It wasn't expected, it wasn't Edward's usual style, but when he popped my left ass cheek, swirled that now-wet finger around my other entrance, only to slip it in two knuckles deep, and found my clit to give it a hard pinch, my whole world shattered. Completely. Utterly. Just...done.

Bracing his hands on my hips and pressing me down into the bed, he rode out my orgasm with heavy, deep strokes, finally slamming into me as deep as he could go. His forehead fell to my shoulder, his breathing ghosting hotly and heavily across my skin.

Sweet kisses pressed against my shoulder, and I finally met his gaze.

"Are you still pissed at me?" he asked, smiling crookedly.

"About what?" I asked stupidly.

He grinned fully, letting a little laugh out. "Never mind. My job here is done."

Giggling, I muffled it into the bed, but he shifted off me to pull me chest to chest with him.

"Look at me, my beautiful girl," he requested, gently brushing my still-damp hair from my face. When my gaze met his again, it was warm, sweet, worried. "You're doing an amazing job, Bella. Honestly. Don't let any of it frustrate you. I feel sorry for this guy when you finally do catch him."

Smiling a little, I nodded. How Edward knew what I needed was a mystery to me, but I appreciated it all the same.

"I know these things because you have it all wrong, my love. I don't own you. You own me. And I'd do anything to take away whatever it is that's bugging you," he vowed solemnly. His eyes drifted toward the window. "We're stuck inside today. Whatever shall we do?"

I giggled, kissing his lips. "More of this naked thing we have going on."

Edward laughed, pulled me closer, and pressed his lips to my forehead. "Your wish...my command, Bella."

~oOo~

"I don't get it, Carlisle," Edward said, glaring at the laptop screen as his hand clawed at his hair. "We've tracked and planned and failed. Repeatedly."

I was sitting on his lap so that I could see and be seen as we Skyped back home. We'd just come in from another long night of nothing, showered, and changed clothes. We were stuck inside for the daylight but thought we'd check in with the family because we were at a loss as to how to finally catch Brett. It had been almost five weeks since we'd left the family in Caribou. February was approaching quickly, and we'd never thought we'd be here this long.

Brett continued to "accidentally" make newborns. Marcus was now offering them a chance to live on because none were as dangerous or as mean as Trina had been. If they showed promise of living a normal life, Marcus allowed Edward to read their mind for information and then handed them over to Agosto, who trained them properly and sent them on their way. However, Brett's fate was sealed. He had to die. It was catching him that was giving us all the trouble, which was why Edward had finally decided to talk to Carlisle about him.

"What's his mind show you, son?" Carlisle responded, using a calm, soothing voice.

"Nothing." Edward sighed, rolling his eyes. "Okay, plenty, but if he's gifted, then he's not aware of it. He only knows he's being hunted, but he also knows that none of us can risk the sunlight so he leads us on and drags out the chase until we can't afford to chase him anymore without revealing ourselves." My sweet husband frowned, tilting his head. "And I swear he's ex-military. He thinks, plans, and reacts like a soldier."

"You _are_ in Washington, Edward. It is quite possible someone changed a soldier," Carlisle guessed.

"That would make sense," I piped up, shrugging a shoulder. "All his training and knowledge would carry over."

Jasper plopped down in the chair next to Carlisle, coming into view of the camera. "Black ops, Ed. Think about it. They're trained to be ghosts. They go in, they do their mission, and they get out. It's like no one was ever there. Navy Seals, Green Berets... Men that are trained to never exist. Maybe that's what you have on your hands there."

Edward looked to me. "It would explain why even your shield can't snag him."

"Don't remind me," I snorted, smiling at Jasper and Carlisle on the screen when they chuckled. "I miss you guys." I sighed. "How is everyone?" I asked, meaning Archie, but I was sure that I'd get the rundown on everyone.

Jasper grinned crookedly, folding his arms across his chest. "Well, let's see..." he drawled, shaking his head. "There was a big to-do about the Christmas tree left in your room, but Esme took it upon herself to throw it out. Don't sweat the ornaments, 'cause she saved them for you. Kevin and Alice have introduced poor Archie to the wonders of reality TV. However, Adrian is doing his best to keep feeding Archie books in your stead. Rose just about killed Emmett two days ago when he took it upon himself to 'fix' a loose section of bricks in the garage, which, unfortunately, caused a small avalanche."

Edward and I groaned at the same time.

"My car," Carlisle growled, pointing to his chest. "My new car...ruined."

"It's not ruined!" Emmett bellowed from somewhere in the background. "It'll be good as new in a few days, Dad. Just in time..."

"Just in time for what?" Edward asked, unable to keep from laughing.

"Guess who finally caved and is going back to work?" Jasper sang, grinning at Carlisle.

"It's simply a few days a week down at the women's clinic," Carlisle rationalized, shoving Jasper out of view of the screen. "They need an on-call doctor."

"Oh, sure!" Edward laughed, shaking his head. "You wait until every bet is over, when no one in the entire family can win. I see how it is."

Carlisle grinned triumphantly. "Sometimes, that's the way it goes." He leaned on his elbows on his desk, his humor falling away. "You two are quite missed," he said seriously. "Are you taking care? Making sure..."

"We're _fine_," I vowed, and Edward nodded beside me. "We haven't even been separated since we've been gone. We're just frustrated we can't end this."

"Exactly," Edward concurred. "Everyone involved is tired of being here. Catherine and Brandon are ready to go back to Colorado, and Marcus and Demitri are needed in Italy."

Carlisle rubbed his chin in deep thought. "What you need is a rainy day, a cloudy day to keep the pursuit going. He may not know that he can be out in public when it's overcast. And you should surround him."

"Believe me, I know," Edward sighed, shaking his head. "But Alice doesn't see one for a few days."

"Plan for it," Carlisle urged. "Worse case scenario is that the weather doesn't cooperate and you start over, but best case is that it works." He paused, his brow furrowing. "Is he predictable? Is he using some sort of pattern?"

"Actually, yes," Edward replied. "He seems familiar with this one particular neighborhood. It's pretty rundown, but he seems to hunt there quite often. It's like he knows it'll take a few days for a drug addict to be reported missing, but then...he drops them off in a much more secluded spot. Rock Creek Park is rather large."

"We don't think he's draining them completely," I added. "At least, that's what Marcus is theorizing. He's turning some of them, but not all."

"How are the humans not hearing the screaming?" he asked.

"Because where he's depositing them is pretty far from people," Edward explained. "Though, we haven't had to deal with a newborn in two weeks."

Carlisle frowned. "He's improving."

Edward nodded. "We think so."

Carlisle glanced past the camera on the computer and smiled. "There he is. Son, come here."

Archie appeared in the screen as he took the seat Jasper had vacated. He blinked, taking in what I was sure was just a giant picture of Edward's and my faces.

"Hey, Archie," we both said.

"Did you catch him yet?" Archie asked.

"No, not yet," Edward sighed, but his smile was sweet, patient, because it had taken _days_ for Archie to settle down, to come out of a serious funk when Edward and I left.

He'd stayed holed up in his room, simply reading or listening to music. Rose had accused him of being like the old "Emo Edward." Alice saw him being fine, but everyone pushed and poked and prodded at him to get him to participate in family things. It finally took Emmett and Jasper fighting over a chess game to pull him out of his room, though I had my suspicions that they'd staged the whole thing.

He didn't like talking on the phone, but he was okay with Skype. And he'd gotten the hang of texting, much to our surprise, because Emmett had finally showed him that he could send us a message any time of the day. Archie liked that. A lot. It softened our absence just a little.

"What'cha been doing, buddy?" I asked, linking my fingers with Edward's on the desk in front of us.

"Um...Rose is scary when she's mad," Archie whispered but grinned when laughter rang out from us and over the computer speaker.

"Yes, sir," Edward agreed with a laugh. "Very much so. In fact, the only one that doesn't seem to mind is Emmett. Word to the wise, my friend... Just stay out of the way when they fight."

"I did!" he said, his eyes wide as he nodded.

With a crooked grin, Edward added, "You should've seen Rose as a newborn..."

"Edward Cullen, don't you dare!" Rose bellowed over the speaker.

Archie laughed, which I was sure was Edward's intention, and I sighed at just how sweet that truly was.

Archie's happy demeanor carried over when he continued to talk. "Oh! I went into town with Carlisle yesterday. I did okay. I'm better with your shield, Bella, but it wasn't too hard."

Edward's brow furrowed a little, but he smiled. "Good. So how was your thirst?"

"Well, I'd just hunted," he explained softly. "I went by myself the night before, because... Well..."

"Oh... Hmm," I hummed, my nose wrinkling at how embarrassed he looked right then. "Say no more, Archie."

"'Kay," he sighed in relief. There was no need in making him explain that he'd avoided the house due to the coupling off of the family. It simply wasn't necessary.

We spent a few more minutes Skyping with Archie. He told us how Carlisle had taken him into town to the hardware store, simply to get him out of the way of Rose's temper. They'd ordered new bricks for the garage, and then Carlisle had driven to a few local car repair shops to inquire about matching the paint to his Mercedes. Rose could repair it all, but the paint had to be special ordered. All those things Carlisle could've done on the phone or online, but he'd chosen to push Archie's boundaries a little. I didn't know who I wanted to hug more.

"Come on, Archie!" Emmett boomed. "Leave the baby lovebirds alone. I'll show you how to lay brick!"

I wanted to laugh at the wry glare Archie aimed our way, but Edward actually laughed out loud, burying it into my shoulder.

"Bye, Archie," we both said at the same time.

"Bye, guys." Just before he got up, he turned to face the screen. "You'll catch this guy soon. Alice says so."

With that, the screen went black.

Edward sighed, still wearing a small smile when he met my gaze. "I'm really glad the Volvo is parked at the airport."

I laughed, grabbing his face and kissing his lips roughly. "Me, too. I kinda like Emmett. It would be sad to see him go for hurting your car."

I bit my lip at just how sexy my Edward's evil smile was. It curled up the corners of his mouth, making him look dark and deadly, but it was adorable at the same time because he really would've been worse to deal with than Rose.

"You think so, sweet girl?" he asked, grinning that much more.

"Oh, Mr. Cullen. I _know_ so." I laughed, squealing when I was suddenly flown across the room and onto the bed. "You get a little..._twitchy_ about your cars, baby. That's all."

Edward laughed. "Twitchy?"

"Yes, twitchy."

He dragged his tongue across his bottom lip as he gazed down at me like I was his next meal. "Hmm, let's see what else I can make..._twitch._"

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

"Edward," my Bella breathed in my ear as I assaulted her neck and that sweet spot just behind her earlobe.

"Hmm?" I hummed, trying to ignore the humans across the small field.

"Shouldn't we be paying attention?" she asked weakly.

"I am," I said with a chuckle, pulling back just enough to sweep my lips across hers. Pressing my forehead to hers, I whispered, "And we have to fit in, beautiful. Look." I nuzzled her cheek to turn her head.

Alice had come through for us with a complete and clear vision. We were to surround Rock Creek Park because she saw us find Brett down there. When one boy wandered off to relieve himself, that was when he'd attack. Not only did she see us stopping him, but she saw that the sun would be hidden by heavy, thick clouds the next day. Currently, it was was just after two in the morning, and I'd yet to hear Brett's mind.

At that very moment, there were eight immortals surrounding a small party of kids ranging from sixteen to nineteen years old. It was a Friday night, and they were getting high, drinking, and making out in various dark corners of the small picnic area that they'd taken over. Seeing as how Bella and I looked the youngest, we were to "crash" the party and keep an eye out. At the moment, I was listening to about thirty minds. The top priority of those minds was sex. In fact, there was hardly a close second. Getting drunk...maybe.

My sweet girl gazed around, and a giggle escaped her as she realized that we weren't the only ones using a picnic table to make out relentlessly. She was sitting on the end of the table with her legs wrapped around my waist as I stood between them. Her head spun back to me, and I laughed at her wry glare and her thoughts.

"Why don't I believe this is all just...duty?" she accused, smirking at me.

I sighed dramatically, shrugging a shoulder. "I can't lie and say I'm not enjoying it, my love. It's a tough job, baby..."

Her head fell back with her laugh, and I took advantage, pressing kisses to her throat. Her mind was a sinful place to be at the moment, but I loved it. I loved that my voice, my lips, and where my hands were gripping made her lose track of everything around her. It was a heady and powerful feeling. And it was fine that she wasn't paying attention, because I was.

Since the moment she'd stumbled into biology that very first day, Bella was – and always would be – the one thing that my mind always kept close watch over. She was in the forefront at all times. I could, in reality, pay attention to every sexy noise, desperate whimper, naughty thought, and beautiful sigh, while at the same time, give my surroundings my sharp attention. My brain didn't know how to function any other way...unless we were completely alone.

Fingers threaded themselves into my hair as she tugged, pulling my mouth from her neck, back to her lips. She kissed me softly at first, but then consumed me. And as much as I hated to do it, I had to pull away because someone was approaching. Unfortunately, I'd lit a fire in my girl, so her lips left mine but attached themselves to my neck when I glared up at the rather inebriated boy that was heading our way.

His liquid bravado failed him as he caught sight of my face, but he pushed on. He was turned on by how my girl was wrapped around me, but he shrugged it off because he was hoping the little blonde back at the main table would be doing the same to him later.

"Do I know you?" he slurred, narrowing his eyes as his body swayed a little. And for whatever drunken reasons, his eyes lit up. "Oh! Yeah! You're Skinny's cousin, right?"

"Yeah, sure," I said with a shrug and barely there patience for being interrupted, swallowing thickly when Bella's teeth nipped at my jaw at the same time she let out a sexy little giggle.

"I love Skinny! He's the fuckin' man!" he declared with a raise of his glass, and he turned and left us, which only caused Bella to giggle a little harder.

"Ah, alcohol," she sighed, ghosting her lips across my throat to give the other side of my jaw the same glorious attention. "That's funny..."

Chuckling, I pulled her away from my skin, turning her head toward a large group. "What's funny... _That's_ Skinny... The one on the edge...with the beer hat on his head."

Bella snorted into hysterics because Skinny didn't quite match his name. He looked like a football player, large, with an enormous head and an even larger school jacket. He had to weigh three hundred pounds if he was an ounce.

"Oh, damn," Bella chortled. "Yeah, you can definitely see that you're cousins."

A laugh barked out of me, but I looked back down at her happy face. "I love you, sweet girl," I said softly but firmly. "Only you could make this whole thing enjoyable."

"I don't know," she sang. "Skinny looks pretty fun..."

As she said that, Skinny downed two beers through straws from their slots on his hat. He then proceeded to burp the alphabet.

"Why does Emmett come to mind?" I murmured, grimacing a little.

"Oh yeah! A human Emmett..."

I buried my face in her neck, still keeping my mind wide open, but smiled when someone turned on a stereo. It wasn't my usual type of music, but Bella and my sisters liked the guy. However, this song held a bit of truth for me, so I couldn't help but sing some of the lyrics of Bruno Mars's "Locked Out of Heaven" against Bella's skin.

_You bring me to my knees  
You make me testify  
You can make a sinner change his ways  
Open up your gates cause I can't wait to see the light  
And right there is where I wanna stay_

_'Cause your sex takes me to paradise  
Yeah, your sex takes me to paradise  
And it shows  
'Cause you make me feel like, I've been locked out of heaven  
For too long, for too long  
Yeah, you make me feel like, I've been locked out of heaven  
For too long, for too long._

_Can I just stay here  
Spend the rest of my days here..._

"Edward, baby...you have to stop that," Bella begged as my teeth scraped across her collarbone. "Please?" She grasped either side of my face, her sweet, brown eyes pleading as they swirled a little darker. "You... It's sweet, and damn, really sexy, but you have to stop."

I grinned sheepishly as, internally, she was telling me she would not be held responsible for her actions if I continued. "Sorry, my Bella."

"No, you're not." She laughed, shaking her head. "I see all that smug stuff you're pushing. Just...stop."

I tried like hell to straighten my face, but failed. I had to step back for a moment, shaking my head, and clawed at my hair to give us both a second. It was then that we smelled him, and Brett's mind swirled around a rather small teen boy that was swaying his way into the woods.

"He's here," I breathed, and Bella was off the table and onto her feet within the blink of an eye at the same time texting everyone that was with us. Demitri and Carina were at the north end of the park, Brandon and Catherine on the south, and Marcus and Agosto were monitoring the west side near the parking lot. That left the east for us, but really, that was the center of it all. We'd have to approach slowly, cautiously, but essentially, we had him surrounded.

Demitri, Marcus, and I were all hoping that with the combination of Bella's talent and Brandon's, not to mention the overcast day that was coming, we'd end this all tonight.

"Trees, now," I said, barely letting the sound out.

Bella followed me deftly up the closest pine to use the treetops as our way to monitor the young man relieving himself in the bushes and to scan the surrounding area. I could hear Brett's mind – calculating, devious...thirsty.

I tried to keep us downwind from him, but I knew with the rainy weather that was rolling in, he'd eventually catch the scent of one of us. And he did. Brett's head snapped to his left, and he bolted, leaving the teenage boy to live another day and to wander innocently back to the party.

As we followed him through the treetops, I could hear our entire group converging on him, the closest of which was Demitri. With Demitri's ability to track him, Brandon's ability to shut him down, and my reading of his plans and thoughts, we were all hoping that we could finally allow Bella to wrap that amazing shield around him. And we were all banking that this would be a long and winding chase. With the weather on our side, we weren't stopping this time.

Rock Creek Park was really only about two and a half miles square, so we ran out of trees quickly, which put us dangerously back into the city. Bella and I stuck to the shadows, and I could hear Demitri keeping to the rear of the chase, commanding everyone else through his phone.

Bella was focused, sending her shield out as carefully as she could, but Brett evaded her over and over. The corner of a building cracked and shattered when she missed the last time.

"Dammit!" she hissed.

I didn't have to tell her to be careful. She knew. And in all reality, it wasn't her fault. Her aim had been spot on, but Brett had moved out of the way at the perfect moment. In between buildings and down back alleys, she couldn't just send her shield out in an all encompassing dome. She couldn't risk capturing a human inside of it by accident.

Smaller, more modern buildings gave way to much older-looking buildings, and I knew we were closing in on the historical part of D.C. We had to be careful. Bella, Marcus, and I were adamant that we not destroy, mark, or harm any of the federal buildings or any of the national monuments. And not one of us needed to be seen running at our top immortal speed by any security or residents of D.C.

It was damned tricky getting through the Washington Monument area. The open area with the rather large pool was lit very well at night. Luckily, the trees along the mall's side were hidden in shadows, and we were moving quickly enough that no one could really focus on us.

"Damn," I groaned once we reached Pennsylvania Avenue again. "He's heading back toward that neighborhood."

_That's actually helpful, Edward,_ Marcus thought to me. He was just on the street over as he mirrored our direction. _I sent Brandon and Catherine to come at us from the opposite direction._

"Up, baby," I ordered once we were deep inside the rundown section of town. I could see exactly how Marcus was directing this whole thing.

Bella and I hit the side of a large apartment building at a run, scaling up to the rooftop. There were about five buildings total, and when we reached the end of the last one, we stopped and looked down. The playground wasn't quite deserted, but those that were leaning up against the chain-link fence weren't exactly capable of witnessing anything. Well, they wouldn't be able to recount it later, anyway.

I could see movement from every direction. Brett was coming up along the street to our right. Brandon and Catherine were already high in a rather large oak at the top of the small park. Demitri and Carina were coming up a side street on the left, and Marcus and Agosto were converging in on us from the right.

Brett was trapped.

As soon as Brandon's mind shot everything he had at Brett, I nudged Bella.

"Now, love!"

Sometimes, I'd forget just how much power my sweet girl had behind that shield of hers. She rarely put it to any major test, only opting to use it gently most of the time. But in a moment of excitement, she would unleash it, slamming it down around her target with such force that I could hear it, _feel_ it thump to the ground. And this time, a swing set collapsed under its weight.

Without any preamble, she shrank it back, causing Brett to fall to the ground in an unmovable heap. Making sure our surroundings were clear, I took her hand, and we jumped down from the roof to the ground.

"Well, halle-fuckin'-lujah!" Brandon sighed as we all closed in on Brett.

Demitri grinned, slapping his back roughly. "No shit, B. Seriously."

Marcus knelt down next to Brett, who was watching us all in silence. I couldn't see a single thing in his mind due to Bella's shield, but I could see he was scared. But he also looked feral, his eyes wild.

"Bella, let me hear him. Hold just his body," I requested.

She nodded, shifted her shield, which lifted Brett up to pin him to the light post. Frantic, violent thoughts hit me all at once, and I stepped closer to Brett.

"What's your name?" I asked him, just to see what he'd think and say.

"Lieutenant Louis, sir," he answered, and I could see the lights were on, but no one was home.

He was a prime example of the type of immortal that Jasper had unfortunately had to dispose of back when he'd been with Maria. This vampire hadn't taken to his change well. There had been too much damage to him prior to his immortal rebirth and it made for a deadly combination.

Brett Louis was a discharged soldier. He'd seen too much blood and death and had drowned himself with drugs and alcohol right here in this neighborhood. His maker was...familiar.

"Where are you from?" I asked him, but he didn't answer me aloud; he unknowingly showed me.

He'd been stationed not far from here but had run into two very familiar faces, who'd taken advantage of his good looks, his lonely disposition, and his male libido. He'd been drinking in a bar not far from his base in Virginia when two immortal women took to paying him enough attention that he couldn't say no. Especially when he was feeling so down about his dishonorable discharge for character unbecoming an officer. His problems had started right there.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me," I mumbled as I shook my head slowly. I looked to Demitri. "You might want to call Alaska and talk to Irina and Ghianna about their last trip to the east coast."

"What?" Marcus gasped, looking between Demitri and me.

"I don't see that it was done with poor intentions," I told him. "It looks like they stayed with him when Ghianna lost a bit of her control. But I can't tell without hearing their side of it."

Bella's and Brandon's mouths fell open, and they gaped openly at Brett. Suddenly, Bella remembered a conversation with Rose and Emmett when they'd first arrived in Caribou about how Ghianna and Irina had started to invite human men into their bed. I'd been a little disgusted about the topic, but apparently, it was true.

"Ghianna? Irina?" Brett asked, looking to me angrily, but he was blind and unfocused on the reality around him. "You've captured women?!"

"Oh," I sighed, looking to Marcus. "There's nothing you can do. He's not...stable."

Turning to Demitri, who was now on the phone with Irina, I listened as she explained sadly that they'd only tried to help the young man not long after Emmett and Rose had left Alaska, and they'd felt badly for Brett. He'd been suicidal, but once he'd changed, he'd started sneaking off for longer times. Eventually, he'd never returned, and when they'd tried to find him, he'd panicked and fled.

And I could see why; he wasn't sane. All his problems prior to becoming immortal only made for a bad combination. He was angry, paranoid, and still fighting battles within his head. He would forever be stuck in a war in his mind. He would never be controlled, never stop running, no matter who was trying to talk to him, and everyone would be the enemy that was after him. That's all I could see in his head on a continuous loop. In fact, at the moment, he was simply thinking name, rank, and serial number.

Marcus sighed, nodded, and gave our surroundings an assessment. He jerked his chin to four homeless men that had lit a fire in a barrel.

"Catherine," he said, and she nodded sadly and walked to them.

She used her ability to draw people in to keep their attention on her and not on what we were about to do.

"Isabella," Marcus called to her softly, placing a hand on her shoulder and giving her temple a kiss. "Your beautiful face...so sad. But it's unavoidable, _amore_."

Bella looked to me. "Nothing? We can't do anything?"

"No, baby. He has no idea where he is," I explained as gently as I could, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "It's not his fault. I know. But he shouldn't have been changed. It was all done with good intentions, but it just didn't work out for the best."

"God, how did Jasper do this shit?" she murmured, wearing a sad yet slightly put-out face. She squeezed her eyes closed, burrowing her face into my arm.

"Now, Bells," Brandon told her.

She wrenched her shield hard, and Brett's suffering was over. While Catherine kept the other four men's attention, we settled Brett's pieces into the fire barrel.

Pulling out my phone, I dialed home.

"Yo, Ed...you okay?" Jasper answered.

"We're fine. We got him," I sighed, but I felt off. "I need a favor."

"Anything, brother. What'cha need?"

"Find out everything you can about a soldier for me. Lieutenant Brett Louis. If he has family...anything...we need to take care of them. Send them something that says he fought bravely for his country. Just...take care of them."

There was silence on the other end. "Jesus, Edward. What the fuck happened?"

"An innocent mistake that went terribly wrong." My voice was firm as my nose wrinkled at the sweet-burning scent that wafted around us. My arm wrapped around Bella when she hugged my waist. "Can you do that for me, Jasper?"

I could already hear him typing, but he was quiet for a split second. "Already on it. Don't worry about a thing."

~oOo~

"They should totally put an ax in Lincoln's hand," Brandon mused, gazing over at the Lincoln Memorial.

Marcus laughed as we all took a seat on the steps. The dreary day had kept some tourists inside, but we were finally able to relax and wander the area without having an agenda. We'd waited until the fire had died out and walked aimlessly together back into the nicer part of the city. It was giving Brandon and Bella time to see the sights up close and Marcus and Demitri a chance to plan their return to Italy after clearing everything up here.

"I _liked_ that movie," Marcus gushed in an uncharacteristic manner, which made Bella giggle. "Oh, come on, _amore_. You can't tell me they didn't portray that man as a vicious vampire killer." He jerked a thumb behind him toward the large marble man on his chair.

"He was bad ass," Demitri added with a grin.

"But the vampires were _all wrong_!" she argued, which made me kiss the top of her head. "Although, I did like the vamp that trained Abe. He was cool."

"He was adorable," Carina said with a laugh.

"He was, right?" Catherine chortled.

"He _was_ kinda cool," Brandon agreed. "And Bells, they always get the vampires wrong. It's supposed to be that way."

"Yeah, little one. The crazier the legend, the further away from the truth they are," Demitri teased her.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm just sayin'," she murmured, smiling when I kissed her cheek.

"Well, except for this _one _book that's out there," I said with a chuckle against her skin. "Marcus kinda let that one slide. Some silly love story about a vampire and a human girl falling in love."

Marcus grinned but shook his head. "That was too good not to let slide."

My girl looked all kinds of embarrassed, but she nodded and then shrugged. Glancing over when my phone rang. I answered it, thinking it was Jasper; instead, Alice's panicked voice gushed out.

Her voice was a harsh but extremely quiet whisper. "Edward...we need you home. Now!"

* * *

**A/N... I know! Cliffie. But you'll be glad to know that chapter 27 is done and that I'll post again on Sunday. **

**Here's the thing... I know that most of you were expecting something major to come out of D.C., but I needed to skip ahead a bit in time. However, I couldn't just see just blurting out "Two Months Later"... That seemed so..._boring_ to me. Blech! So I opted to give you _something_ to tide over the time. Plus, this was a way for Archie to learn to spread his wings with the other members of the family. My reasons were two-fold, I guess. It extended my outline a little, but again, I can't see any of you complaining when you get more chapters in the long run. ;)**

**Oh...the movie that everyone is talking about at the end of the chapter is _Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter_. Personally, I loved it. But...I'm an action kinda girl. You guys would've never guessed that, right? LOL ;)**

**The song added to the playlist this week:**

"**Locked Out of Heaven" by Bruno Mars – He's adorable and talented. And he's just about the only current artist out there I can get my hubs to even tolerate. LOL**

**Okay, I'll see you guys Sunday. And THAT chapter is a biggie, so brace yourselves. Until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N... This has been a rough week. With the loss of CaraNo's sweet baby girl Kenzie, to the school shooting in Connecticut. It makes it hard to find that everyday silliness, that thing that keeps a smile on your face. I don't know CaraNo very well, but it doesn't matter...she's a member of this fandom, a fantastic writer, and now she's suffered a tragic loss. My heart and thoughts are with her and her family at this time. I can't even imagine... As for the school shooting, it was senseless and cruel. And again, my heart breaks for those parents and families.**

**My goal at times like these is to push through, to keep doing the same things that you do. I'm not young. I've seen terrible times in this country and in my own personal life. I've suffered losses. And I've shed many a tear. However, I have learned that you can't wallow in it. I did that once. I almost didn't survive it. You have to stand up straight, grab that favorite book, put on that favorite movie, or go play fetch with the dog, but do SOMETHING you love. And for fuck's sake...tell those around you every damn day that you love them. Okay?**

**PSA is over... On to lighter things... Or at least let me answer for my cliffie... ;)**

**A few questions that needed answering... Should Ghianna and Irina get into trouble for changing Brett? No, it wasn't a loss of control that Edward saw...that was why he'd wanted to hear the girls' side of the story. They only tried to help Brett. However, his state of mind caused him to run. It wasn't as if they left him; he simply could not be found. If Demitri and Edward had a bitch of a time catching him, then those two porcupines wouldn't have been able to do anything. Make sense? ;) Now...why the cliffie?! Okay, okay... I get it, but you're going to have to forgive me. Otherwise, the chapter would've been way too long. Trust me. AND it would've messed up my outline, which, at this point in the story, needs to be stuck to like glue. I apologize for any undue panic. I still love you all. :D**

**Now...GO! Find out what Alice has to say... I'll see you at the bottom...**

* * *

Chapter 27

**EDWARD**

"Edward...we need you home. Now!"

"Alice? What's wrong?" I asked, my still heart sinking at the myriad of possibilities.

"I've seen... I can't say. I need you to _see _it," Alice urged.

I locked gazes with Bella, who looked worried, but the whole group of them was quiet with concern.

"Where are you?" I asked Alice.

"In the woods outside, but I can't stay out here. I can't tell you _out loud_ yet. Understand? I need you to see what I see," she explained, though it was terribly cryptic.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Is the family safe, Alice?"

"Yes."

"Do you need us all?" Demitri offered.

"Tell him thank you, but no. It's not that kind of problem. Besides, they're needed in Italy," Alice said, and I rolled my eyes to Demitri, who heard her loud and clear. "I just need you and Bella home. Please, Edward."

"Alice, you're scaring me," Bella said softly, but my sister heard her just fine.

"I know, and I'm sorry, but I don't want to tell the family yet. If I'm heard...too many possibilities, too many decisions..." she rambled sadly.

I nodded and stood up, taking Bella's hand. "Okay, Alice. We'll leave Washington today."

"You can't fly," Alice stated firmly. "You won't get out in time. Flight times versus Maine snow... You'll get here quicker if you take the motorcycle. I know you were debating on buying it anyway."

Bella snorted, looking up at me as Demitri grinned behind her. He slapped my shoulder, muttering, "Keep it."

I could only shrug at Bella's taunting of me in her mind. I _had_ considered buying the bike, simply because we did love to ride, and Demitri had done a damn fine job picking that one out.

Letting out a deep breath, I said, "We'll check out now, Alice. Are you _sure_ the family's safe? Promise me."

"I swear to you, _big brother_," she vowed. "Everyone is fine, but something...someone is coming. I need you to see it. I want to know if you see what I see..."

"Okay, okay..." I groaned, shaking my head. "Stop with the cryptic stuff. You're only making it worse. I'll let you know when we're on the road home."

"I'll know. Just...hurry, Edward," she stated, and then the line went dead.

"What was that?" Bella huffed, her brow furrowed as they all stared at me. "Someone's coming, but the family is safe? I don't get it."

"Me, either." I sighed, pocketing my phone but meeting her gaze. "We should go," I whispered, suddenly nervous for what was to come.

I trusted Alice explicitly, but she'd sounded upset, despite her assurances that the family was safe. If she'd said that she needed me, then she'd meant it. She was strong enough to handle things on her own for the most part, but what she was seeing was unnerving her. And I didn't like it. At all.

"The bike is back at Rock Creek Park," Bella pointed out.

"I'll get it for you," Demitri offered. "Hail a cab, and I'll bring the bike to the hotel by the time you've packed up and checked out."

"Thanks," I said, holding out my hand, but he gave me a one-armed hug.

"No, thank _you_, Edward," Marcus said, standing up from his seat on the steps of the memorial. "Consider the bike a gift. You and Bella have been most helpful."

"It's not like you wouldn't or haven't done it for us, Marcus," Bella said with a soft, sweet laugh. Leaning in, she kissed his cheek. "But we need to see you more often, and not for just emergencies," she scolded him, raising one sexy eyebrow.

He laughed, tapped her chin with his finger. "Too true, _amore_. And Volterra will always welcome you, as well, Isabella."

She kissed his cheek one more time and snorted when Demitri pouted.

"Where the hell is mine?" he asked, grinning at me like a fool. He was more like Emmett every day.

Carina laughed and rolled her eyes, as did Bella.

"Bye, Demitri," my girl sang, giving him the kiss he wanted, but he hugged her tightly.

Cupping her face, he said, "Take care, and give all the girls my love. We'll see you soon."

Carina and Catherine took Bella into a hug. They made promises to to visit soon, both Italy and Colorado. There were handshakes and hugs all around before we made our way to the street. Brandon hailed us a cab, but Marcus's hand landed on my shoulder before I got in beside Bella.

"That lost immortal you have back home..." he started, but his brow furrowed. "Archie...he's extremely loyal to you. You and Bella, specifically. I know Carlisle worries about the...size of your family now. He'd never sever ties with any of you, and I'd never ask it of him, but Archie will make eleven in your coven. You'll have a hard time hiding what you are. My advice with him is to be careful. Teach him well. There may come a time when you can't stay all in one place."

I frowned but nodded, giving Bella's sad face a glance.

"Look at me...both of you." Marcus commanded. "I'm not my brothers. Aro would've found the numbers in your family intimidating. I don't. I know where Carlisle's heart lay. He's the epitome of good intentions and compassion. All I'm saying is to be careful."

"The school ruse may not work much longer," Demitri added. "I think that's what he's trying to tell you."

"College, maybe," Brandon added, shrugging a shoulder.

Nodding, I said, "I know you're right, Marcus. And I honestly don't know what Carlisle wants to do. It's even harder to make a decision when Alice can't always see Archie's future. We have no idea if he even wants to stay with us."

"Oh, he'll stay with you." Demitri chuckled. "He's one of you now. You can't tell me any different."

There was a part of me that hurt for Archie when it came down to it. I wasn't sure if I wanted to subject him to living with all of us over several years. I already saw myself in him when it came to living in a house full of mated couples. He already struggled with feeling like an intruder. But then, I also couldn't see him on his own, either.

"Just...have Carlisle contact me," Marcus finished, squeezing my shoulder. "Maybe we can come up with something together. Besides, I'd like to make sure that you're okay with this Alice situation."

"Yes, sir," I finally agreed, shaking his hand and getting in the taxi beside Bella.

Once the driver had pulled away from the curb, Bella's gentle mind caressed my own.

_Archie isn't you, my handsome, sweet man. I see that face of yours. You're worried that he'll stay with us but grow bitter alone. You can't know that his fate will be the same as yours, _she thought to me, curling into my side.

Dropping a heavy kiss to the top of her head, I sighed. "I know."

_But you're worried about him being on his own, too?_

"Yes," I whispered into her hair.

She nodded, sighing deeply, and linked our fingers together. "Yeah, me, too."

We were quiet the rest of the drive to the hotel, up the elevator, and into our room. We showered quickly and packed up our things into the duffel bag. Bella's mind was worried about whatever Alice was panicking over, but she said nothing, simply because she knew it wouldn't do any good to fret until we were face to face with the issue.

My mind was flipping back and forth over Alice's possible visions and Marcus's warning concerning my family. I knew he was right. I knew that we'd grown to be a large group, but I hated the thought of change coming. A glance at my Bella reminded me that some changes, while enormous and scary, could be wonderful. But some changes could do more harm than good. My final thought as I walked to the front desk to check out was that we truly needed to sit down as a family and discuss it.

With my stress level already high, I wanted to growl at the girl behind the counter. Her thoughts were lewd, though her face maintained a haughty, blank expression. Her side glance to Bella made me almost feral, but I knew my mood was in relation to my worry, not the jealousy rolling off the hotel's employee. I shifted the duffel bag up on my shoulder just to keep myself from glaring at the girl for thinking about me in obscene scenarios and for taking her dear, sweet time to keep me there.

Bella snickered softly before touching my upper arm. "Baby? Why don't you go out front and see if Demitri's made it back with the bike? I'll finish up here. Hmm?" she hummed, smirking up at me as she switched to thoughts. _I don't know what she's thinking, but you look like you're about to punch her._

I fought my smile, kissed her forehead, and shot her a wink. "You're the best, my Bella."

Turning around, I made my way across the lobby to the front doors, but I had to smile at my girl. She had no shame.

"Well," she sang to the girl behind the counter, "now that he's gone, maybe you can concentrate. I understand that my _husband_ can be a little distracting."

The chilly air that hit me once I was outside calmed my nerves a little. Scanning the area, I saw the black bike parked close to the valet stand and smiled. Demitri had made it back in time, and he'd left two helmets on the seats.

"Mr. Cullen?" a young man called as he stepped up beside me. His thoughts were calm and kind. Demitri had tipped him well to keep watch over the bike, so he was determined to do a good job.

"Yes."

He smiled kindly, handing me an envelope. "The gentleman that dropped off the motorcycle wanted me to make sure you got this, as well."

"Thank you," I said with a single nod, tipping the boy again.

"No...thank _you_, sir," he replied with a chuckle.

Inside the envelope was all the documentation on the bike, making it legally Bella's and mine, along with a note in Demitri's flowing script.

_My dearest friends,_

_Make sure you use the helmets in case you run into sunny patches on the way back home. Be careful, and keep us posted. We hope everything goes well. Enjoy the ride, and thank you again for all your help._

_Give everyone our love. We'll see you soon._

_Much love and respect,_

_D_

_P.S. Don't stress yourself over Marcus's warning. He's merely concerned for you. I'm sure you and Carlisle will figure out a way. You always do._

Straddling the bike, I glanced up when Bella walked out of the hotel. Her smile was sweet, but her mind was teasing and sexy as she eyed me on the bike _and_ because she knew that the girl inside was watching us. I shook my head slowly, pursing my lips, but welcomed her kiss like it was the air I breathed.

"You, my handsome thing, drove her nuts," she stated, pressing her forehead to mine as she licked her lips.

"Yeah, well...she wasn't exactly easy on the mind, either, my sweet girl," I grumped, sweeping my lips over hers one more time. "You ready?"

Bella giggled and stepped back, reaching for the duffel bag that was strapped across my chest. "Yes, but give me this. I can't hold you with this between us."

I frowned, but she was right. Shirking out of it, I helped her tighten it and then handed her the helmet before settling her behind me. Once her thighs were lined up on either side of mine and her strong arms were wrapped around my waist, I tugged my own helmet on and started the bike with a low, deep rumble of its engine.

"Hey, we have radios!" Bella gushed.

Laughing, I shook my head at just how much the simple things made me love her. "Good. I would've missed your voice." Before I pulled out onto the street, I turned to look back at her, flipping up the visor of my helmet. "Hold on, baby. This will be a long ride," I told her, because mapped out, it was a a little over thirteen hours from D.C. to Caribou. I was hoping to break ten.

~oOo~

**BELLA**

"Have a nice day," the older gentleman behind the counter said once I'd paid for the gas Edward was pumping.

I smiled back at him, but it was strained. My throat burned, and I swallowed thickly before stepping back outside.

Edward's eyes were sharp on mine as he watched my approach. "We'll stop, love. You need to hunt. There's an area not far from here that will do. Okay?"

Nodding, I straddled the bike as he hung up the nozzle. We were in Pennsylvania and were making good time. I felt bad that we'd have to make a detour.

Gentle fingers lifted my chin, and Edward kissed my lips softly. "Never, _ever_ feel bad for taking care of yourself. I should stop, too, my sweet girl. We won't lose much time."

Edward was right, of course – he usually was. He'd found a small area to hunt in not far from the gas station and the main highway. The deer were plentiful, and I hunted quickly, taking down a doe and a buck to sate my thirst. By the time I walked back to where we'd left the bike, my head was much clearer and my throat wasn't on fire any longer.

Edward was pacing on his phone when I stepped through the trees. His hand clawed at his hair as he explained to Carlisle where we were and just how long he expected before we arrived back home. He made no mention whatsoever of Alice's frantic call, nor why we were driving instead of flying. The latter was easier to understand if you truly knew Edward. It wasn't uncommon for him to buy a new toy and take a road trip, especially before I came along.

That thought made him grin and glance up at me, but his conversation with Carlisle continued. "No, we're fine. We just stopped to hunt. We'll be there soon."

"You two be careful," Carlisle commanded. "Oh, Jasper told me to tell you he found the family you were looking for. He's taking care of everything. And he said it was best if you didn't ask questions."

Edward and I had matching raised eyebrows at that statement, but we simply muttered, "Okay."

Carlisle chuckled over the line. "He and Jenks can truly get up to some...not-so-legal things. Let's just put it that way. I'm only guessing, but I assume there are some records being manipulated in this case. Apparently, your soldier was a divorced father, so Jasper is taking care of the child's future."

Edward grimaced a little, straddling the bike. "Understood. We'll call again as we get closer. I hope to have us at least in Maine by tomorrow."

I shook my head as he ended the call and pocketed his phone. I wasn't so sure anything looked as good as Edward with that powerful machine between his legs.

He chuckled darkly, gazing up at me with a deadly glare through his long eyelashes as he dragged his tongue along his bottom lip. "Want to know what looks good between _your_ legs, beautiful?"

"You do," I answered with a grin. "And don't start, Edward Anthony. We don't have the time, and you've been teasing since the damn park in D.C."

His laugh was evil yet sweet at the same time. "I'll make it up to you. I promise." He scooted back on the bike, patting the seat in front of him. "Come, love. You can take the next leg."

Grinning like I'd won the lottery, I said, "All is forgiven."

He rolled his eyes and huffed a quick laugh. "I figured." He took our bag, tugged it on over his shoulder, and waited for me to join him.

Instead of mounting the bike the right way, I straddled Edward face to face. His smile was wicked, but he kissed me just like my mind was begging him to do. Strong arms wrapped all the way around me as he gazed at me through warm, light honey eyes.

"What was that for?"

"I needed it," I told him, running my fingers through his poor hair. Between his own hands and the helmet, it was a mess. "Did Carlisle say anything about Alice?"

"Not a word," he sighed, shaking his head. "Though, I think she's keeping it from everyone. Jasper may know, but he wasn't home. I've tried texting her, but she won't say much."

Nodding in acceptance, I made to turn around. "This must be some vision," I murmured, climbing onto the bike the right way.

The feel of Edward surrounded me. I'd forgotten just how much I loved riding with him. One arm secured itself around my waist, while the other was offering me a helmet. Before I pulled it on, his lips were at my ear.

"I have to trust Alice. If she's not wanting interference with several different minds making random decisions, then there's a good reason for it. I know her. I know how her gift works. She just wouldn't keep something from the family if it posed a danger. She either doesn't trust what she's seeing, or she's hoping that whatever it is comes true. If it's the second thing, then she'll do everything within her power to allow things to progress the way they should." He spoke quickly and firmly, but I could hear a touch of anxiety laced within his tone.

"And if she isn't trusting what she's seeing?" I asked, looking over my shoulder at him.

"I don't know," he answered honestly with a shrug of one shoulder. "If that's the case, then hopefully, it'll make sense to me."

I sighed, kissing him awkwardly over my shoulder before I tugged on my helmet. "Fair enough," I said, starting the bike up and pulling out onto the road.

~oOo~

I held onto Edward as we turned onto our driveway. Eleven hours and twenty seven minutes. Several stops for gas. Three switches of who was driving. Two calls home. One extremely hot, completely sexy quickie on a side dirt road. And one almost fight in Boston.

I rolled my eyes at that last thought. The truck driver had been way too vocal and had stared way too much for Edward's liking. Though, I'm sure the jerk's thoughts were what caused Edward to almost lose his cool. But when I'd literally laughed out loud at the guy's proposition, my Edward had grinned in spite of his temper.

And I hadn't just laughed; I'd been in hysterics, doubled over on the bike with my hands on my face because I'd just been thoroughly ravished by Edward, so I couldn't help it. Apparently, I'd still been sex-drunk. The truck driver had looked like he could've been a member of ZZ Top, with a long-as-hell beard and a beer gut. He'd reeked of sweat and greasy fast food and cigarette smoke. It was like he hadn't showered in weeks – not days..._weeks_. He'd blushed profusely when I'd laughingly declined his vile offer of a "real ride," calling him Rip Van Winkle.

Of course, Edward being...well, Edward, he couldn't just let it go. He'd had to mark his territory like the male vampire that he was, practically kissing me to orgasm right there in a truck stop parking lot.

"You liked it," he countered over the radio in our helmets as he pulled to a stop in our front yard.

_I would've preferred the orgasm._ I laughed when he almost cracked his helmet while trying to take it off too quickly.

"You got two of those, baby, if I'm remembering correctly," he said with a sexy crooked grin.

"I did. And I'm happy incredibly about that," I countered in a sing-song voice as he helped me off the bike and took the duffel bag from me. "I always am."

He chuckled, kissing me roughly with a growl. "Good to know." He opened his mouth to say something else but shut it just as quickly because the entire family was pouring out of the house.

The first to reach us was Esme. She hugged us both, giving us the once-over to make sure we were in one piece.

"I missed you both so much," she gushed, cupping Edward's face before kissing his cheek. "I threatened Marcus if he didn't take care of my babies," she added with a fierce growl, kissing my cheek like she had Edward's.

I giggled. "Yes, he was completely terrified of you. Not the newborns we were chasing, but _you_."

"As he should be," Carlisle said, and while trying to be subtle, he was eying us the same as his wife.

Our siblings, on the other hand, were a cacophony of questions as we walked inside the house.

"Did you guys kick ass, baby girl?" Emmett asked me, scooping me up into a giant hug.

"Yeah, tell us, 'cause Alice wouldn't spill on much," Kevin begged, giving Edward a pat on the shoulder.

"Well, not about the last chase, anyway," Archie added softly, but I smiled at the sight of him. "She told us everything else."

Alice giggled, but I could already see her and Edward in some sort of silent battle. Her eyes flickered to him. She shook her head one time, and then turned to me.

"I didn't want to ruin your story telling, Bella," she told me with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Okay," I sighed with a smirk, focusing back on Archie. "I see you survived, buddy."

"He did just fine, Bells," Jasper said, walking up to me and draping a heavy arm around my shoulders as Archie smiled shyly. "We totally drove him crazy, kept him busy, and I believe he's got a crush on some Kardashian sister. But I can't tell which one..."

"I do not!" Archie growled, shaking his head profusely and wearing an expression of absolute disgust on his sweet face. "They're...what did you call them, Rose?" he asked, glancing over at her.

"Porcupines." Rose answered evenly but with a giant grin.

That was her subtle way of calling them loose women, saying that if they had as many dicks sticking out of them as they'd had stuck in them, they'd essentially look like a porcupine. The whole room dissolved into hysterics. Damn, it was good to be home.

"Ah, yeah...they kinda are porcupines," Emmett sighed forlornly. "High end, pro-athlete porcupines, but porcupines nonetheless."

"Ah, I've missed the Mensa meeting level of intelligent conversations of this family," Edward sighed dramatically, placing a hand over his heart.

Grinning as he received boos and laughs, I pushed him down onto the piano bench and sat between his legs.

Everyone took seats around us, and Edward and I told them about our last chase with Brett. They were shocked to hear that it had been Ghianna and Irina that had changed him, but we explained that it had been with good intentions. Though, I think the term "porcupine" came up one more time. And Edward was solemn when he went into detail of exactly what he'd seen in Brett's mind, that there had been no connection to reality or where he was or even what he was doing, which made me turn to my brother.

"How did you do that all those years, Jazz? It was hard enough...but to _feel_ it?" I asked him incredulously.

"It wasn't easy," he said softly, shaking his head. "But the way that you describe him, it sounds like you were doing him a favor. Imagine being trapped inside your scared mind for eternity."

That brought the room to a quiet standstill.

"Why didn't you do that to me?" Archie asked suddenly, gazing around the room at all of us.

"No, you weren't alike," Edward said firmly, seemingly answering an unasked question instead of the verbal one. "You were completely different, Archie. Trust me. You were out of it with thirst, yes. But Brett...he was disconnected from his own personality. He hardly knew who he was. And he definitely didn't know _what_ he was. He was surviving on instinct, not to mention assuming he was at war. You could be reasoned with once you were fed. He could not. To him, everyone was the enemy."

"What about Miss Electric Company?" Kevin asked, grinning when I growled low.

"Foul little thing," I muttered with a sneer.

Edward chuckled, hugging me tightly, and kissed my cheek. "Let's just say... I'm surprised Bella let her live long enough to answer questions."

"Oh, hell... What did she do to piss you off?" Rose asked with a laugh.

"She—" I started to rant, but Edward's hand covered my mouth, most likely because my language would've not been so clean.

"She used her gift, and it unfortunately caught me in the arm," Edward explained diplomatically.

The groan throughout the room was in sympathy and understanding, which made me chuckle and pull Edward's hand away.

"See?" I simply asked, shrugging a shoulder, but in my mind, I was still grumbling about how she'd dared hurt him. No one hurt him. Ever.

Edward laughed softly, his lips right at my ear. "Enough, my fierce girl."

"That's my Goddess!" Kevin praised, nodding one time. "So what's the deal with the fuck-hot bike out there, Heavy E?"

"Kevin," Esme sighed, narrowing her eyes at him when all he did was laugh.

Edward chuckled a little. "It was a gift from Marcus and Demitri for helping. It's how we got around D.C. When it came time to leave, they said it was ours to keep." His eyes betrayed him, drifting to our smallest sister, who was ignoring his pointed glare. "Alice, please quit singing that God-awful song in your head. At least switch to something else."

She grinned at him. "Better?"

"Not much, no."

I stared between the two of them, about to lose my mind in curiosity. We'd just driven eleven hours to get here – _per Alice's request_ – and we still didn't know why. And she didn't seem to be in any hurry to tell us now that we were home.

Edward's fingers linked with mine and squeezed gently. It was his way of telling me to have patience, to calm down. But he must've seen what was coming next because Emmett piped up, taking Rose's hand.

"We were just about to go for a hunt. Did you guys need to go?" he asked, gazing around the room.

"No, we're okay. We hunted on the way," Edward answered smoothly, and I suddenly understood that some of them were about to leave us.

Adrian and Kevin stood, as did Archie. Those three, along with Rose and Emmett, made their way toward the doorway, but Archie gave Edward a quick side glance.

"I haven't forgotten," Edward answered with a smile. "I'd planned on it, in fact. As soon as we're settled back in, we'll plan it. Promise."

Archie smiled, nodding, and left the room.

_The ocean?_ I asked him, and my sweet husband smiled softly.

"Yes, I was going to take us in a day or two," he responded, but it came out like a question.

"Cool. Let me know." I smiled, kissing his lips one time.

"Mary Alice," Jasper started in a wry tone, gazing over at his mate with love and patience and a crooked smile. "You're good. But you're not perfect at hiding things from me. So you want to tell me why you brought Ed and Bells home with a fire under their—" he looked at Esme and winked "—behinds?"

Carlisle and Esme gazed over at her in surprise, but Carlisle turned to Edward first. "Son?"

"Don't look to me. She said to hurry home. We did," he remarked, but his eyes weren't leaving Alice.

My sister looked busted. Completely. But she whispered, "I'm sorry to have scared you."

"Alice, sweetheart, why don't you just tell us? Hmm?" Esme prodded gently.

"I need..." She sighed, looking to Edward. "I needed Edward to _see_ first. I didn't want to make the same mistake with Archie as I did with you, _big brother_."

Edward frowned, but the furrow between his brow increased as she showed him something. "Alice, we didn't know that's who she was then. I told you that. How could we have known?"

Jasper and I sighed, looking between them like we were watching a tennis match. But really, it was best to just let them sort this out together. That way, everyone could catch up eventually.

"But I should've watched more closely!" she argued back, almost yelling, but she calmed when Jasper picked up her hand. "If I'd known that the baby I was seeing was Bella...if I'd have _seen_ that everything revolving around that little girl meant that she ended up your mate, then we never would've left her! You wouldn't have suffered _so much_, Edward."

"Oh," Jasper and I murmured together, because Alice had seen me coming; she just hadn't known what to make of it when she'd had the vision of a tiny brown-haired, brown-eyed little girl. At the time, now well over twenty-seven years ago, they'd written it off as some random vision, which happened all the time.

Edward sighed deeply, pressing his lips to my shoulder, but his love for Alice was clearly written all over his face. "You can't change the past, Alice. You know that. And I can't find a thing about my life now to complain about. So tell me what this has to do with Archie."

Alice looked pained, but...hopeful? She stood up and started to pace.

"Alice," Carlisle said calmly. "Is everything all right? Is Archie in some sort of danger?"

"No, no!" she replied instantly. "I just... This vision I had could so easily change. It's so very fragile. When I first saw it, I decided to tell everyone, but then, it went haywire...and so very sad." Her sweet honey eyes met Carlisle's. "When I decided not to tell, it went right back. If we make a decision to stop it, then there's misery in his future. He goes off alone, and he doesn't come back." She frowned down at her hands, swallowing thickly. "When I made the decision to let Edward see, then some minor things adjusted, but the outcome was the same."

Edward sighed frustratedly but extricated himself from behind me after dropping a heavy kiss to my temple. He walked to Alice, gently grasping her shoulders. "Show me, Ali," he commanded softly.

She glared up at him, but there was fear there, too. "I have to work backwards. You need to see the end..._before _you see the beginning. Okay?"

"Okay," he agreed but froze when she must have opened her mind. A small smile curled my husband's lips, and he shook his head. "Archie finds a mate. Who is she?"

"Really?" Jasper and I asked, still glancing between them.

"Yeah, she's...maybe around nineteen or twenty," Edward explained, shrugging a shoulder. "She's blonde, pretty, with a small frame, and it seems she's taken to our diet. He's happy. I can't tell where we are... Is that Isle Esme?"

"Yes." Alice barely breathed, grimacing a little. "And she's eighteen...just turned eighteen."

We all locked onto her, but it was Carlisle that spoke first. "You know who she is, Alice?"

"Yes," she said again, this time, much more fearful.

Studying her face, I sighed and shook my head. "She doesn't start out immortal. She's human," I guessed, and everyone glanced to me. "Oh, Alice...who is she?"

Alice turned to Edward, grabbing the front of his shirt. "You can't make a single decision. You could mess this up so badly. You can only watch. Understand?"

Edward's face was solemn as he nodded to her, but his mouth fell open. "Oh, hell," he groaned, his hand immediately clawing at his hair. "But wait... Alice, how does she _get_ here?" His eyes widened. "Oh."

None of us spoke. Carlisle sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he watched his most talented children battle it out mentally. Jasper and I looked to each other and grimaced because there was a sinking feeling to the room, but there was also a strange energy of hope. All of it was coming from Edward and Alice. We waited patiently.

When Alice finished showing him everything, she let go of his shirt and stepped back, looking rather vulnerable. She clasped her hands together in front of her, gazing up at Edward, who seemed to be processing what he'd seen. His sharp eyes shot to me and then finally to Carlisle.

"Oh, damn," my husband sighed, his face in shock. "This... This is seriously going to be a problem."

"No, no, no!" Alice cried out but was in Jasper's arms before she could take a step forward.

"Alice," Edward said sharply, making me jump. "I'm making no decisions. I'm simply stating a fact. This will, indeed, be a problem. There's more at stake here than Archie."

"Watch yourself, brother," Jasper warned, but I could see he was trying to maintain the whole room.

Carlisle stood, placing himself between the brothers. "Edward. Tell me."

Edward looked pained, shaking his head. "It would seem that Archie found his mate."

"Found? As in past tense?" I asked, because I knew my Edward well enough to know that he wasn't misspeaking. He was saying it that way on purpose.

"Yes. Ten years ago." Edward's statement hung there for a moment.

"Caroline Dixon?" Esme gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

"Yes," Alice and Edward spoke together, both in a whisper, as if the truth would cause everything to evaporate.

"She's somehow made the decision to come here," Edward continued, pointing toward the floor. "Alice sees her arriving in the spring."

"Oh, boy," I sighed. "That's... How?"

Edward took a deep breath, giving Alice a quick glance. "It seems she finds out about her father's conversation with Anna. She's made the decision to come here to see the people that are living in this house. The house she used to live in."

Carlisle paused but nodded. "It would make sense why Archie didn't kill her so many years ago. There was a connection there, even though she was just a child at the time. This will affect more than just Archie, you're right."

"Right, because she shows up human, but you see her as immortal," I pointed out, locking gazes with Edward. "How exactly does _that_ happen?"

"That part is...unclear," Edward and Alice spoke at the same time.

"And Archie?" Esme asked the question that was on the tip of my tongue, because I was really curious how he was going to react to all of this.

"No!" Alice growled at me.

Edward's face turned dark, Jasper flinched at the swift changes that were swirling around the room, and Carlisle looked to me like I'd done something wrong.

"Alice, that wasn't a decision. It was curiosity." I sighed, frowning at her. "I can't be the only one thinking it." I gestured to Esme. "But you two have got to cut the rest of us some slack. We can't see what you're seeing. Would one of you – and I don't care which one of you – please explain?"

Carlisle's face smoothed into something calm and relaxed as he nodded. "She does have a point. Alice, is there a way to tell us what you see? We can't help you, we can't help _Archie_, if we don't know everything."

Alice looked distraught, but she glanced to Edward and frowned.

"You can't know that for sure," he said, answering some unasked question.

Esme stood up, walked to Alice, and cupped her face, despite Jasper's protective presence. "Sweetheart, we've always trusted you and your visions. It's time to trust us. If you tell us not to do anything, we won't. But we need to know." She looked to Edward. "I need to know if my family stays safe, son. One of you needs to start talking."

Both Alice and Edward looked thoroughly chastised, but Alice gazed up at her brother with a pleading face, looking like a lost little girl. If the situation wasn't so damned serious, I would've chuckled as I watched him melt under her sweet power over him.

Edward sat down hard on the sofa's edge, his elbows on his knees. With one last glance at our sister, he sighed deeply. "Caroline Dixon has made the decision to come here. That was Alice's original vision. She's already bought plane tickets for Ohio to spend her spring break with her extended family. From there, she somehow makes it here. That part is a little unclear, as well. I see her 'borrowing' a car, but I see her change her flight plan, too. She hasn't figured it out, I don't think."

My husband's sad eyes met mine. "This is where it gets...complicated. Alice is right. One wrong decision, one mistake, and things go...badly." He swallowed thickly, wrinkling his nose. "Alice obviously wants Archie happy, so in order to continue on this path, we have to allow Caroline to come here. However," he hissed, holding up a hand when Alice started to interrupt, "telling Archie turns out poorly. Keeping it from him isn't much better."

"We all want Archie happy," Esme stated in argument, and the rest of us nodded in agreement.

"Telling him what?" Carlisle asked. "Specifics? Or simply that someone's coming? Or is it _who_ is coming that's the problem?"

Edward smiled, but it was not in humor. "Yes. All of that."

"But if we allow a human child to come here..." Esme started, gazing between her husband, Alice, and Edward. "If she comes human, she's not going to stay that way."

"No, she's not," Edward stated firmly, and the room went still for a moment. "If she comes here, she'll be his. Indefinitely."

"Damn," I sighed, looking down at my hands. Having been the human in this scenario before, my heart broke for Caroline and Archie. "And if she doesn't show up? I mean, can we stop her from coming for now?" I asked, thinking that if Caroline Dixon was Archie's mate, we could somehow set their meeting up differently.

Alice was shaking her head profusely. "He never meets her. If she doesn't come here, her future goes black. And Archie stays alone. Always."

I winced because that wasn't fair, either. And by her future going black, did that mean...

"Yes, baby," Edward said softly. "Caroline takes another route and doesn't live through it."

"So she dies either way?" Jasper piped up, looking between Alice and Edward. "It's immortal death or real death? There's no choice?"

"No," they answered him together.

"So back to my original question... Archie?" Esme urged, sitting next to Edward. "How does this affect him? Because if anyone deserves happiness, it's Archie."

Edward grimaced a little, his nose wrinkling as he met his mother's gaze. "Alice has seen every possibility. If he knows someone is coming, he's fine. He accepts it. If he's told everything – who she is, what she'll be to him, and what the outcome is – he leaves, completely disappears...literally. He doesn't handle it very well."

"Would you have?" I countered, and his warm gaze spun to meet mine. "Seriously, Edward. Would you have truly believed that the little infant Alice saw being born was your mate, was your future? Would you have just...accepted it? You'd been alone for decades, no woman was good enough for you, and you were just this shy of being a bitter old man. Would you have just said, 'Sweet! I'll wait'?"

Alice burst into a giggle, as did Esme, and Jasper and Carlisle grinned, but Edward laughed. Hard.

"No, sweet girl," he said, still chuckling. "Probably not. Although, I would've been curious."

"Curious, yes, but I know you," I countered seriously. "You would've seen a child – with a future – and truly thought yourself to be a monster for what _might have been_. Archie will react the exact same way. And we're forgetting...he's the reason she had to leave this house in the first place."

Edward nodded solemnly in agreement but said nothing.

"Oh, hell," Jasper groaned, shaking his head. "This is fucked up. Sorry, Mom."

She waved it away, looking to me. "So what are you saying?"

"I'm not..." I sighed frustratedly. "I'm not saying anything. But I'm kind of biased in this situation. She'll get here, mate with Archie, and nothing else will matter. Nothing. Her heart will belong to him. And it's way more complicated than that. She's got a father that's already lost his wife, Archie is extraordinarily fragile emotionally, and they have a history that none of us can fathom."

I turned to Alice, who was already smirking at me for what I was going to say. "No offense, but I'm glad you didn't figure out who that baby was, Ali. The way things happened, the way things turned out...they weren't perfect, but they were ours," I explained, gesturing to Edward, who looked like he was struggling not to rush to me. "Maybe Archie... Maybe they _both_ need to find their own way."

Carlisle started to pace, rubbing his chin over and over. For a moment, I wondered if he could feel all eyes on him. He finally stopped in front of Alice.

"I'm going to ask you a question, but it's not a decision. It's simply a...scenario," he started, waiting until she nodded before continuing. "We've spent the last five months earning Archie's trust. If we keep this from him, that will shatter every bit of that. Am I correct?"

"Yes," Edward answered as Alice nodded.

"But if we tell him, he panics. Is that right?" he verified, now coming to a standstill so that he could look at both of them.

"Yes," Alice replied just above a whisper.

Jasper turned to his wife, cupping her face. "What if... Just hear me out, darlin'. What if we tell him _who_ is coming, but nothing else. How does that turn out?"

Alice's eyes went blank for just a moment, but she started to nod slowly. "He... Archie stays, sees it through. He sees it as some way to apologize for Lisa Dixon. A penitence of sorts." Her eyes widened, and she locked eyes with Edward. "But he'll only take the news from you."

"Okay," he sighed in acquiescence with a nod. "I was going to take him to the coast. I could tell him then."

"And when you do, we'll tell the rest of the family," Esme added.

Alice paused, but then nodded. I could see that getting all of this out of her made her feel a little more at ease. I couldn't imagine having the weight of the future on my shoulders like she did. No thank you.

Edward smirked, shooting me a wink, but turned to Carlisle. "There's no other way," Edward stated sadly. "Caroline Dixon is coming here. What else can we do? If we stop her, she dies, condemning Archie to an eternity of loneliness. If we allow her to come, then she's forever connected to our world, no matter what. Whether she's changed or decides to stay human, or whatever...she'll be a part of him. And on top of that, Archie and Caroline have to face the past, which alone, without the mating situation, is tragic. There is no solution where everyone is happy. Nothing about this will be easy. But can you honestly deny him his mate?"

"No!" Esme and I cried out at the same time.

Edward finally got up from the sofa and knelt in front of me. "Easy, my sweet, beautiful girl. I was merely making a point. We all want Archie to be happy."

"Without Caroline, he won't find that happiness, will he?" Jasper asked no one in particular, but his wife was the one with the answer.

"No, he won't." She gazed up at Jasper with pleading eyes, pushing a curl from his forehead. "He'll follow us at first. He'll move with us. In fact, he's already decided to go where we go, but eventually, he'll..."

Edward sighed, his elbows resting on my thighs as he rubbed his face. "He wasn't aware of himself or his surroundings before, but now... He'll grow to envy us. He'll become bitter and angry...and lonely. He'll hate himself...more than he does now. As much as he cares for us, we'll never be enough, and Archie will always, _always_ be on the outside of things. Eventually, he'll want to escape it."

The heartbreak in my husband's voice was filled with so much experience and truth that I couldn't help but wrap my arms around his head and pull him to me.

_I love you. _It was a simple and easy thought as we buried our faces in each other's necks, but it was something I couldn't stop from chanting over and over as I ran my fingers through his hair. _I love you so fucking much. You know that? There was never, ever anything wrong with you._

"I know," he sighed softly into my neck, inhaling my scent deeply and nodding. "I _know_."

Pulling back, I gripped his messy hair in order to tug his forehead to my lips. He chuckled a little, but we turned our attention to Carlisle.

"No, son... I can't honestly deny someone their soul mate," he said sadly, his eyes fixated on us, only to flicker to Alice and Jasper, and finally, to Esme, where his eyes warmed at the mere sight of her. "And as much as the thought of Archie finding his makes me happy, there are way too many things at stake here."

We all nodded that we'd heard him but waited patiently for him to go on.

"We have to consider that Caroline, while a legal adult at eighteen, still has a father that will worry once he figures out she's not where she's supposed to be. We have to concern ourselves with Archie's reaction. Not only will this test his control, but he'll be confused as to what he's feeling, and most likely, he'll be guilt-ridden over Caroline's mother. He and I have talked at length about that incident. There's also trusting this girl with what and who we are. We've done it before with you, Bella, and with Kevin, but until she gets here..." His voice trailed off, not finishing that thought.

He sighed, finally turning his complete attention to Alice. "While I know that your gift is powerful, Alice, I also know that you can't account for everything. It's the butterfly effect. There are ten of us that could so easily make an innocent decision that has nothing to do with this situation, yet it'll have huge repercussions. You of all people should know that," he told her, and she nodded. "In fact, I'm not sure how much we can control what is to come."

Esme walked closer to him, and he pulled her into his arms. "You're going to let nature take its course, aren't you? But what of the girl?"

Carlisle grimaced but swallowed nervously. "I can't knowingly set her on the course that kills her, so I don't want to stop her from coming. I trust Alice's gift enough to know that. But I also can't deny Archie a real, true chance at life...at _living_. He has suffered enough."

Edward's eyes narrowed, but he stood up in front of me and faced Carlisle. "What are we going to do?"

"Aside from letting you tell Archie that Caroline Dixon will be here by spring? Nothing," he stated firmly. "I'm going to try my best to make sure the girl stays safe while she's here."

"You can't fight her fate," Alice stated, her chin jutting out in defiance. "It's where we went wrong with Bella."

"Hey!" I snapped, frowning at her. "Nothing 'went wrong' with Bella," I snarked, leaning into my husband's chuckling kiss to my temple. "I know you think that leaving me behind, leaving me with Jake was your fault, because you didn't see it coming, but I was a big girl. It took me a long time to realize that even though Jake's abuse was all on him, I could have – at any point – walked away. That was _my _weakness, _my _mistake. Just because Edward's return gave me the strength to do it doesn't mean I wouldn't have eventually done it alone.

"I believe in fate just as much as you do, but I also think that each of us has the power to guide it, control it, to make our own destiny," I told her. "Alice, if you saw this Caroline get hit by a train, we don't have to lay her down on the tracks to wait for it." I turned to Edward, who was watching me with a unreadable expression. "Do we?"

He didn't answer me, but then again, he didn't really need to. He tucked my hair behind my ear, only to press his lips to my forehead.

"I'm with Bella on this," Jasper stated firmly with a nod. "There's not one of us that means to hurt Archie. We've taken care of him this far, so we can certainly make sure this is no different. But if we plan for the girl's arrival and be smart about it, I can't see why she wouldn't stay safe like Carlisle said. Besides, it's kind of our fault she's coming, because had we not meddled in Archie's past, then she wouldn't have gotten curious about this house."

"Oh, hell," I groaned, wincing at Carlisle. "He's kinda right."

Edward pulled back to look at Alice, but I noted that he was calm. "Nothing changed," he told her. "She's still coming, whether we tell Archie or not."

"I see that," she sighed in relief. "Thank you."

Carlisle nodded and let out a long, slow breath. "Do we have a time frame?"

"About a month," she replied.

"Okay," he stated in acceptance. "That gives us time to prepare Archie for another human visitor...and for perhaps a change in your visions. We'll tread carefully, Alice. All right?" he asked, and when she nodded, he turned to me and Edward. "I'm glad the two of you are home safe. We've all missed you. Let me know when you're going to talk to Archie. We'll tell the rest of the family once you're gone."

Edward nodded, frowning a little at Carlisle, but he simply said, "Yes, sir."

* * *

**A/N... Tricky stuff, playing with the future. And hard to write, if I'm to be honest. Alice's gift is detailed and technical – and she's why I needed the extra time between postings. The entire family wants nothing more than to see Archie happy. They've invested their hearts into him, so as you can see, they've got to tread carefully. No one wants to see an innocent human hurt, either.**

**Someone guessed this outcome ages ago and wasn't thrilled about the prospect of it. However, the minute that I wrote Archie's history – specifically the history with the Dixons – I saw this end of things. Again, the story's not over. There are major things yet to come.**

**No songs added to the playlist this time around. But hot damn, there's now a bike in the Cullen garage again! ;) LOL**

**Before you ask... Yes, I have considered writing the motorcycle/side dirt road/fuck-hot quickie that Bella mentioned. IF I write it, then it would be an outtake and not in the major part of the story. IF I write it, then it would be in the Angel Dust fic on my profile. Is that something you'd want? Please let me know.**

**Alrighty... Please take care of yourselves. I'll see you Wednesday. I'm sure you're looking forward to Edward's talk with Archie at the beach. Until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N... So that was a rather loud and resounding...YES for the outtake. Got it. Duly noted. ;) It won't be right away. Just set up me or Angel Dust up on alert. That way you'll be sure to get it. Okay? OH...and there was no need to squirt me with a bottle! LMAO**

**Just to clear something up – or maybe a reminder – Edward tells Bella about Alice's prediction of seeing her as a baby in Chapter 44 of _Angel's Embrace_. It's in an email from Edward to Bella.**

**So not a lot of questions this time around. Some of you guys were a little shocked. Some of you had sort of guessed this but weren't sure how it would play out. Well, I guess we'll see, won't we? ;)**

**This was – and actually the next one, too – extraordinarily hard to write. It's a little bit emotional, but I think it truly shows just how far our Edward has come, how much he's grown. Not to mention there's all of Alice's visions that have to come into play. There's also a bit of fun here... I'll let you get on with it. I'll see you at the bottom...**

* * *

Chapter 28

**EDWARD**

"Whoa..."

I grinned over at Archie, whose eyes were transfixed on the rather overwhelming sight spread out in front of him. I understood that feeling. Having grown up as a human in Chicago, the most I'd known were very large lakes. I'd pretty much felt the same way the first time Carlisle had taken me to see the ocean – very small and completely insignificant.

"It's kind of ominous, right?" I asked with a chuckle, my eyes automatically seeking out Bella as she made her way down to the shoreline.

"Yeah, a little," he barely spoke aloud, but his mind was reeling. "Where's she going?"

Chuckling, I said, "She's used to this. She's from the Pacific Northwest, remember? This isn't much different – cold water, harsh waves, rocky beaches. I'm sure she's just...taking it in."

The place I'd chosen on the Maine coastline had the best of both worlds. I wanted Archie to get a good view from the cliff on which we were standing, but I also wanted him to be able to touch, feel, possibly walk in the water, so there was a beach within walking distance. In fact, that was where Bella was right then – walking across sharp rocks to reach the packed sand.

I was hoping the beautiful scenery around us would soften the blow of the conversation we were about to have, because despite the fact that he was getting better and better around humans, he wasn't as comfortable with them as the rest of us.

It had been three days since Bella and I had returned from D.C. Alice's vision hadn't changed. If anything, it had gotten stronger. We knew more now.

Caroline Dixon had made her decision to come to Caribou. She was flying into Columbus, Ohio, and planned to take her aunt's car – something that still couldn't be stopped. Every time we even considered possibly doing something to stop her – anonymous tip, somehow stopping the flight, even calling her father – all Alice saw was an argument between Tim and Caroline and then...blackness. Apparently, Caroline Dixon had the average teenager's temper, so if she was to be stopped in her plans, she would fly off the handle with her father, which resulted in a car accident.

Carlisle's biggest hope was that she arrived safely to us, where we would do our best to keep her secure. Unfortunately, he had to play the concerned father and would be calling Tim Dixon upon Caroline's arrival. We'd had no choice but to plan it that way, working closely with Alice's visions. Because no matter what, we had to maintain the pretenses. The strangest thing was that it didn't change the outcome. At all. Caroline was still in Archie's future, still became immortal, and no matter how we messed around with decisions, nothing altered it. And Alice couldn't see why. She was driving herself – and me – crazy with trying to force her sight. We simply were trying to buy some time, but it wasn't happening.

As I stepped closer to the edge of the cliff, I knew Carlisle was telling Adrian, Kevin, Emmett, and Rose about why Bella and I had rushed home now that we had Archie out of the house. We trusted each of them to follow Alice's instructions, which were sure to come when she told them about Archie's fate.

Grimacing, I sighed. It was a double-edged sword. An innocent human girl would lose her future, but Archie would gain his mate. I wasn't sure what to think of that because as I watched my sweet girl brush a windblown curl from her face, I knew just what perfection that pure, unadulterated happiness would bring to Archie's life. To think differently would make me a hypocrite. I'd loved my sweet, human Bella, but the security, the comfort, and the knowledge that I would never lose the immortal other half of my soul was something that I depended on, cherished.

_Edward Cullen, you're stalling_, she thought to me with a mental giggle from down below us.

Smirking at her, I turned around to face Archie. He was inhaling the sea air deeply, with a small smile on his face and his eyes closed.

"You want to get closer?" I asked him, thinking if I needed help, Bella would be close by. "We can, you know."

Archie nodded vehemently, and we made our way down the slope of the cliff to the rocky shore at a human pace, despite the fact that we were pretty much alone. Following the same path that Bella had taken, we stepped lightly over the rocks and onto the sand.

_You're nervous, aren't you, handsome?_ Her gentle question was thought without even looking my way from down the beach. But when she did glance up, I nodded once, shoving my hands into the front pockets of my jeans. _Just...ease him into it, sweetheart._

I knew she was right, but every vision that Alice had seen rested upon this conversation I was trying to find the courage to start with Archie. There was to be no mention of Caroline being his mate. Over and over, no matter how many different ways I decided to approach it, Alice saw him panic. Knowing his mind the way I did, I knew why. Archie was from a time where relationships took time, effort..._courting_. He was from the same demure, shy, innocent era that I was. He was terrified of women – something that still lingered from his run-in with Victoria. He may have grown attached to Bella, Esme, and my sisters, but that didn't mean he was ready for dating. He saw them as family...not prospects.

And then there was how he viewed himself. His foul beginnings, his past indiscretions, and his beliefs made Archie still see himself as unworthy of...well, not much of anything.

My hand shot to my hair, and I took a seat on the closest boulder as Archie meandered around the beach. He didn't go far, but I wanted him to enjoy himself. And yeah, Bella was right – I was totally stalling.

"What's she doing?" Archie asked with a grin, but his brows furrowed.

I laughed. "Looks like she's terrifying crabs, but it's just a guess. Oh, and probably collecting shells. Esme wanted them."

Bella laughed, shooting a me a wink, but shrugged, walking our way. "I can't help it. They look so mean, but then...they scamper away."

Shaking my head, I sighed and gazed up at her, fighting my smile. "Scamper?"

"That's the only way to describe it. It's not like they run, Edward! It's all sideways and stuff." She grinned at me and shrugged again, looking absolutely beautiful with the sea air blowing her hair away from her face. "Here, hold these."

I took the plastic freezer bag she was handing me that was half full of shells of every shape, size, and color. "Yes, ma'am."

In her mind, she promised to stay close by, but she was urging me to talk since Archie was sitting next to me. Looking over at him, I took a deep breath and just...started.

"Archie, I need you talk to you about something," I said, meeting his gaze when he wrenched it away from the crashing waves. "Alice has seen something heading our way. Well, _someone_, actually. And I need you to be prepared."

His face scrunched in confusion. "Okay." He said nothing more, trusting that I'd explain why this warranted my nervous expression. When I didn't say anything and my focus was more on the bag of shells in my hand, he finally blurted out, "Who, Edward?"

Meeting his gaze, I went on. "A girl. A human girl. Alice says she'll be here by the beginning of March."

"That's okay. I'm getting better. Jasper says so," he countered with a nod. "I'm sure it'll be better than when those kids from town came over."

"I'm sure. And yes, you're doing amazing at dealing with your control. We're all...astounded at how far you've come," I praised him with the utter truth.

He frowned, studying my expression. "Why do I think that's not all you have to tell me?"

"Because it isn't." I sighed, shaking my head. There was no other way to tell him but to just...say it. "It's someone you know."

"I don't know anyone," he said with a chuckle. "No one human, anyway. Edward...just tell me!"

"It's Caroline Dixon," I stated, my eyes not leaving his.

Every emotion he was going through was written plainly on his face – shock, fear, guilt, confusion. And then...anger.

"Why?!" he growled, his hands starting to shake and his breathing picking up. "Why would she come back to that house?! Why are you bringing her?"

"No, no, no," Bella crooned, suddenly in front of us, but she took Archie's face in her gentle hands. "We aren't bringing her, sweetie. Edward will tell you, but you've got to calm down and listen to him. We're not alone," she whispered, her eyes flickering up the beach to see a couple walking their dog.

Archie nodded fervently, his eyes flickering between Bella and me. But his voice was barely a whisper and filled with pain. "I almost killed her, Edward. She was only seven!"

"I know," I said, using the calmest voice I could muster with him. "I have faith that you'll hold strong, Archie. I have no doubt, and Alice has seen it. Okay?" When he nodded, I went on. "We aren't bringing her here. I promise you that. This is all her doing. However, it is a bit our fault that she's decided to visit her childhood home."

"What do you mean?" he asked, his eyes flickering to Bella as she sat between my legs, but she didn't let go of his hand.

"Remember when we told you that we researched the house – _your_ house?" I asked him, playing with Bella's hair in order to steady my own nerves.

"Yes."

"Okay, well, we uncovered the history about the Dixons. And with Bella's father being a police officer, we called Tim Dixon. We told you that part," I explained, making sure he was still listening. "Somehow, Caroline heard that message and has decided to come investigate her old house on her own. Her reasons why aren't completely clear."

He started shaking his head. "I shouldn't be there. I should stay away. I can't see that girl. I killed her mother..." The last sentence came out as a growl and through gritted teeth.

"Then perhaps it's time to face her," I suggested, knowing I was merely adding to his guilt, but there was no other option.

He looked at me doubtfully, like I'd lost my sanity completely. Even though his mind was flashing through that very hard time ten years ago, he stayed quiet, waiting for me to say something.

What I was about to tell him next was something even Bella hadn't heard.

"When I was...hunting criminals," I sighed, feeling Bella stiffen a little and turn to gaze up at me, "I didn't normally hunt women. They weren't as plentiful as evil men. That's not to say there weren't any female deviants. There were. Just...not a lot." I clawed at my hair with one hand and gripped Bella's with the other. "Maybe that was biased, but it's the truth. Maybe I saw what I wanted to see. When what I'm about to tell you happened, I was pretty long gone. I was merely hunting for sport. Any reason to give me the chance to feed. I rationalized every foul thought, even if they didn't go through with it."

I gazed down the beach. The couple with the dog was staying away, most likely on human instinct, but I was grateful they weren't close by. However, their thoughts were calm, happy, simple.

I sighed deeply. "I was in a not-so-nice area when I heard her. I was in New York when I came across thoughts so vile that I had to stop in the middle of the sidewalk. I'm not such a prude as to assume that prostitution is all that heinous of a crime. A woman's body is hers to do with as she pleases. Knowing the Denali sisters will drive that point home."

Bella giggled, burying it into my leg. I smiled down at her, running my hand over her hair. That perfect, sweet sound settled around me, calming me for the rest of the story.

"But desperate times and all... This woman was a predator. I could tell that she usually just robbed her...clients, but this time, that wasn't going to be the case." I wrinkled my nose and shook my head a little. "This was one of those times when I had it all wrong, but I only saw the moment, the thoughts from _right then_.

"I was going to take them both, actually," I went on. "He was cheating on his wife, she was planning to kill him for everything he had on him, and they were both just a waste of human flesh with only one shared redeeming quality."

"Blood." Bella said the word softly, but I nodded.

"Yes." I swallowed thickly at the memory but sighed deeply. "Blood was the only thing that made them useful. My mistake was in my choice. I couldn't take them both without causing a scene, so I weighed the sins, opting to take the would-be murderer instead of the adulterer. I let him go – or rather, I scared him off."

I sneered at the memory because the woman had taken one look at me and practically assaulted me based on my looks alone.

"In her mind, I could see that she worked the same corner, the same street every night. She took and took and took, and it wasn't like she was having to pay off some sort of..."

"Pimp?" Bella offered, though the word alone made her want to laugh.

"For lack of a better word, yes." I smirked at her but locked gazes with Archie. "I took her. And it was one of the worst things I ever did, because the very second her heart stopped in that dark alley, a baby's cry rang out from the abandoned apartment window beside us."

"Oh, hell..." Bella breathed, shaking her head. "Edward, you didn't know. Didn't she even think about her child?"

"No. Not one time."

"Then it wasn't your fault." Archie's words were soft, but he meant them.

"Definitely not," Bella agreed.

I nodded that I'd heard them both. "I took the child to the closest hospital and turned her in."

"Her?" Bella asked, her brow furrowing a little.

"Mmhm," I hummed with a smile. "Iris Franks, though she was eventually adopted under the last name Adams."

Bella gasped a little. "You took care of her."

"Her whole life," I stated with a single nod. "Carlisle helped me once I came back home. We made sure she had everything she needed – good parents, the right schools, scholarships, even jobs."

Archie sighed, looking to me. "Did it ease the guilt?"

"No." I smiled sadly. "But then...she had a better life than what her birth mother could've ever given her, so did I do the right thing? I don't know."

"Is she still alive?" Bella asked.

"No, sweet girl," I sighed deeply, tucking her hair behind her ear. "She passed away in 1998. She was seventy-six, a mother of three, a grandmother of seven, and had a long career as the owner of a small restaurant in Brooklyn."

"Did you ever talk to her?" Archie asked.

"I did. Much, much later. She was already a grandmother," I said with a grin. "She was...amazing. So very kind and sweet. I think _she_ wanted to adopt _me_."

They both laughed.

"She knew about her birth mother. And she was okay with what had happened. More than okay, actually. She loved her adopted parents, loved her life," I told him. "Listen, Archie, I'm not telling you this to make you think all will be perfect with Caroline, but looking Iris in the eyes helped me. It made me come to terms with what I was back then versus who I was when I finally stood face to face with her."

Archie studied my face for a moment, only to turn his gaze out over the water. His thoughts were a little jumbled and a lot nervous, but he wasn't adamantly thinking of hiding.

"She'd hate me if she knew," he said softly.

"Maybe," I told him, shrugging a shoulder. I didn't want to flat-out lie to him, because Alice saw Caroline as one of us, so she had to have found out about her mother. "Carlisle told me once that it's the harder roads that make us the better person."

"Carlisle's very smart," Bella huffed, looking to Archie. "However, Edward's not too shabby..." She shot me a wink when I snorted, but she gave her attention to Archie completely. "We'll be there with you, you know," she told him softly.

He nodded, swallowing nervously, and let out a deep breath. "I know."

"You _can_ do this," she added.

He smiled at her, staying quiet for a moment, and then finally said, "Okay."

"Okay," I repeated with a nod of acceptance, gazing out over the water, but looked down at Bella when her fingers turned my ring.

When her gaze met mine, she asked, "Why do you think you chose wrong? You said you made the wrong choice. To me, it sounds like you did the right thing...if Iris is any proof. Did the cheater do something?"

I smiled, shaking my head. "Yeah, but he received his punishment without my involvement. He was caught a few days later with another prostitute. He was arrested, but upon his release, his wife divorced him, taking him for just about every penny he had. It turned out that he was some banking investor or something. She survived the Great Depression with their four children. He did not. The day the stock market crashed, he died at his own hands."

"Oh." Bella and Archie both gasped.

Bella huffed, rolling her eyes, and stood up in front of me. "No, Edward. Your choice was fine. Things seemed to work out for the best in each scenario."

"Yes, Carlisle said the same thing," I replied softly, kissing her fingers. "He said my penitence was over. At the time, I disagreed. I'd taken more than my fair share of life, but he helped me see that forgiveness was something I had to give myself. Especially if I'd changed for the better."

Bella smirked, knowing that I probably hadn't forgiven myself for decades, which was the truth. I hadn't thought myself worthy of it. However, the very second the girl in front of me offered her heart up on a silver platter, even after I'd left her, only then did I see myself as something more than a monster.

She said nothing, though, as she picked up the bag of seashells for Esme. Turning them over in her hands, she smiled. "She needs more, I think," my girl stated, shaking the bag. "Come, boys. Help me find a handful more."

Archie and I chuckled, standing up. I glanced up the beach to see that the couple and their dog had left us, so I kicked out of my sneakers and socks, rolling up my jeans. If my girl wanted shells, then I'd get her shells.

~oOo~

**BELLA**

Thunder rolled long and loud across the gray sky, and Alice and I grinned at each other as we sat at the base of a tree. It had been a long time since we'd been able to play baseball, and this was the best way to keep everyone's mind off the fact that March had landed upon us quicker than we'd expected. The beauty of it all was that, due to where the house was located in relation to the town, we could do it in our own backyard.

"Oh, yeah," Jasper said with a grin, rubbing his hands together. "Place your bets, place your bets."

Edward laughed, shaking his head as he twirled the baseball bat around his hand. It was impressive, actually, like a soldier with a rifle going through drills. And the fact that my thoughts were shielded allowed me to think all the naughty things I wanted – without fear of being caught. My eyes raked up his strong legs and gravity-defying ass covered in dark blue denim, his flexing arm muscles – both biceps and forearms – and the fierce yet happy expression on his face, causing his jaw to look that much sharper.

"Boys against girls," Emmett shouted, throwing the baseball across the field to Rose.

"Dammit, Emmett, you can't say that anymore," I sighed, rolling my eyes at the laughter that erupted from Kevin and Adrian.

"He's special," Kevin stated in a dramatic whisper. "We'll let it slide. I'll take the girls' team."

"See, babe? I'm special," Emmett said with a big smile to Rose, who snorted into a huge laugh.

"He meant..._special_." Alice laughed, tapping the middle of her forehead.

Edward watched his brother with an adorable look of amusement on his face, snickering a little. "Wow," he said, chuckling a little harder, but turned to Jasper. "So...bets on the table?"

"We're even teams with Carlisle at work, so no one gets a handicap... Well, aside from Emmett," Jasper joked, and Alice and I had to cover our mouths to muffle our laughter.

"What the hell? Is this pick on Emmett day?" my biggest brother growled, but I could tell not a bit of it was insulting him. He simply didn't care. It was all in fun to him.

"Could we make that a family holiday?" Kevin asked. "'Cause that would be awesome!"

Emmett took off after Kevin in a blur, the chase winding all through the front yard and backyard and launching up into the trees of the surrounding woods.

"Goddess!" Kevin cried in a fit of laughter, flying by me just enough so that my shield came down with a thump.

"Shit, fuck, dammit!" Emmett growled, tumbling backwards in a somersault, only to right himself quickly. "Not fair!"

Esme didn't even reprimand him for his language, due to the fact she was laughing too hard.

"So fair," I countered calmly, paying the non-existent lint on my jeans more attention than my ginormous brother. "The game hasn't started. Calm your _special_ self down. I'm not using my talent for the game. I'm not even playing outfield."

Edward chuckled, spinning the bat again. "So...bet, sweet girl?"

Getting up from beside Alice, I walked to him, taking the bat out of his hands. "What do you want, big guy?" I asked, grinning when not only did my husband's face go completely blank with whatever he was thinking, but Jasper's laughter rang out loudly.

"Did you _really_ just ask him that?" Jasper scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Do you even know what he's pushing out right now? There's curiosity, lust, mischief, and something altogether...dirty. I need a shower, Ed! Cut it out!" Jasper shoved Edward just a little.

Laughing, I met my husband's gaze. He wasn't even ashamed of whatever he was thinking. His smile was crooked and sexy and slightly childlike.

"Well, this ought to be good. Please share with the rest of the class, Heavy E," Kevin taunted, coming to stand next to me and folding his arms across his chest.

Edward's dark eyes locked with mine. "You know...the Volvo's awfully dirty..."

"Dear Lord," Esme sighed, shaking her head and rolling her eyes up to the sky. "Where did I go wrong?"

Rose, Kevin, and I collapsed into hysterics, practically holding one another up.

"Oh, no..." I huffed, still chuckling, but I shook my head adamantly. "See... I know how that plays out, Edward. It goes from simply washing cars to suddenly, we're doing it in bikinis. It turns into something just this shy of a cheap porn movie."

Edward feigned innocence, but his brothers were cracking up.

"Fine, baby sis," Jasper said with a laugh. "What do _you_ want?"

"I want..." I dragged out, spinning to look at Alice, who was already jumping up and down with excitement. Grinning, I asked her, "Really?"

"Hell, yes!" she squealed.

"What?!" all the boys yelled.

"I want – or _we_, really – a calendar of our very own," I stated, but then gestured to Archie, who was staring at me with wide, scared eyes. "Archie...you're playing in Carlisle's place. If you lose, he takes the pics. I know you wouldn't want to subject yourself to such...debauchery."

Edward laughed, turning to Archie. "She's being kind, Archie. Be grateful."

"Um, thank you?" Archie stammered, grinning when we all laughed.

"And if we win?" Emmett asked, stepping closer and tossing the ball up in the air.

"We'll pose for the calendar," Rose offered, folding her arms across her chest. "The winner picks the loser's poses and clothes," she added.

Edward grinned, shaking his head. "Do you still have that Halloween costume?" he teased, shooting a wink my way.

"Which one?" I snorted, rolling my eyes at him and pressing two fingers to his lips before he could answer. "Don't even, Cullen. Let's just play."

He laughed, turning away from me and heading over to where we'd designated home base to be. Alice was pitching, I was catching, and the rest were in the outfield. So when I walked up beside him, I handed him the bat.

"Come on, Alice..." I called, backing up a bit. "I've got a firefighter uniform that's just collecting dust in my closet."

"Aw, damn," Edward groaned, shaking his head and preparing to bat.

"Oh, honey," Kevin sang Adrian's way, wiggling his fingers at him. "Do you know where I could find some football pads? _Just_ the pads?" he asked, and Adrian's face blanched.

Thunder rolled heavily again, and Alice spun around to face me. "It's time," she said with a grin.

With the first pitch, the trash talk never stopped. Poor Archie looked lost at the insults that we launched at one another, but he managed his batting and out-fielding very well. We played by traditional rules – four balls, three strikes, three outs, nine innings, and the runner must be tagged by the ball for an out.

Edward and Emmett played right and left field while Jasper pitched. It was the top of the sixth inning when I decided to mess with my Edward just a little. Alice giggled behind me but stayed quiet as I took my spot at home plate. I couldn't imagine what silly-ass song she was singing in her mind to keep Edward out. The score was tied thirty-three to thirty-three. Honestly, I didn't care who won. It was a harmless bet, and it wasn't like I hadn't posed for one before. But with that thought, I truly thought it was Edward's turn. And I ran the gamut of possible outfits in my mind, aiming them his way, along with why and what I'd do to him once I put him in those costumes.

"Bella!" Edward whined, shaking his head to clear it and gripping his hair. "Seriously!"

I grinned, bringing the bat up to my shoulder, thinking, _Mmm, baby... Construction worker – nothing but jeans and a toolbelt...the jeans are optional. _I dragged my tongue across my bottom lip as I let Jasper's pitch go by straight into Adrian's hands._ Ooh! What about... a superhero, Edward? All that spandex, and nothing left to the imagination. And my imagination is..._good_!_

"Which one?" he finally asked with laugh, looking like he was defeated already.

_I'll have to think about it. Maybe Batman? Oh, but you're so fast... Superman?_ I offered with a giggle. _Don'tcha wish you had X-ray vision?_

"God, no!" he cried out, looking pained. "Hearing minds is bad enough."

_Oh, yeah. Okay...Batman. Definitely. _I let one more pitch go by, readying myself for the next and sending Edward one more thought. _You know what would be hot, baby? You just barely covered with every lingerie set you've ever ripped off of me. I mean, I know we don't have them, but the idea..._

"Christ," he hissed, squeezing his eyes closed, but the crack of the bat made them open right back up.

The ball shot off my bat at lightning speed, a crack echoing through the forest. Edward and Emmett took off, almost disappearing into the woods as I rounded first base, aiming for second. As I slid into the make-shift base we were using, two hands with the ball landed heavily on my thigh.

"Safe!" I growled, looking up at a smug Edward.

"Out, love. Sorry."

"Oh, I don't think so!" I chuckled, getting up and dusting myself off.

"She's safe, Ed," Jasper sighed, smirking at us. "It's only second base. Just don't let her score!"

"Yeah, _Ed_," I taunted, shoving my laughing husband a little as he threw the ball back to Jasper. "Heaven forbid I..._score_." He opened his mouth to counter that, and I growled, "Watch it."

Gripping my chin, he purred softly, "I can't wait for you to see what I've picked out... I may have to take the pictures myself. I can't let just anyone see you, see what's _mine_."

His lips brushed across mine just enough to drive me crazy, but he stepped back into his position, shooting a cocky wink my way as my mouth hung open. He knew what his voice and his lips could do to me, but to add in his claim of possession was a low blow.

Narrowing my eyes, I pointed a finger at him. "You're going down, Cullen!"

"That's what she said!" Emmett bellowed.

Rose stepped up to bat, glaring down Jasper as he got ready to pitch. As soon as the ball made contact with the bat, I knew I'd score. When I stepped across home plate, I grinned Edward's way. I could tell he wasn't quite sure whether to be proud or disappointed. It was an adorable expression that covered his face.

By the time the ninth inning rolled around, Carlisle was home, watching us from the tree that Alice and I had been sitting under. Once he found out the bet, his loyalties to his family as a whole flew out the window, and he was totally pulling for the boys. And he wasn't quite sure he liked the idea that Archie was playing in his place. He'd more than once complained that it was unfair that he could lose whether he was home or not.

"Sucks to be you, Dad. Deal with it," Emmett said with a grin, getting into position in the outfield.

Esme got ready to bat, with Rose on first and me on third. The boys were ahead by two runs, and if Esme knocked this one just right, we'd take the lead. Taking a few steps off the base, I got ready to run.

"I see a rainbow of colors coming my way, sweet, beautiful girl," Edward teased with a salacious grin, dragging his tongue along his bottom lip. "I'll make sure the credit card is all paid up."

Laughing, I shook my head, understanding where Edward's mind had gone. Lingerie. Lots of it. And he was going to pick the sets this time instead of letting me surprise him. Somehow, that seemed worth losing, but I still wanted to see Edward in so many things – leather pants, a bubble bath, a toga.

"Toga?!" Edward snorted. "Baby, we need to talk..."

Giggling, I watched as Jasper threw his pitch to Esme. The crack was loud, reverberating across the field, but the ball popped high into the air. What happened next was a shock, but I couldn't fault the boys for plays well made. Archie caught the pop-fly, tossed it to Edward to tag out Rose, and Edward threw it fast and hard to Adrian, who caught me in the hip with a tag.

Damn, the boys had won.

I groaned, my head falling back to the ground as Emmett, Jasper, and Carlisle all cheered.

"Sorry, Bells," Adrian said with a chuckle and a pat to my arm. "Damn good try."

Groaning again, I lay there until Edward loomed over me.

"Come on, my little Derek Jeter," he teased, grinning as he scooped me up and tossed me over his shoulder. "We've got shopping to do... I'll even let you pick one or two."

My laugh was loud as I popped his butt. "Damn, there goes my construction worker idea..."

~oOo~

The house had a feeling of anxiousness and unease running through it. I shifted closer to Edward, and he obliged by hugging me tighter. There was a movie playing on his phone as it was propped up on the table by the chair in our room. I wasn't sure what it was, but it kept the silence at bay.

The baseball game had been fun, the trash talk never-ending, even after it was all over, but the moment we'd stepped inside the house, Alice had frozen in a vision.

Caroline Dixon had changed her mind. She was still flying into to Ohio, but she'd no longer be taking a relative's car. She'd bought a bus ticket straight into Caribou. Alice's vision had been three days ago. Caroline had landed in Columbus two days ago. And her bus trip was approximately eighteen hours long – give or take – which meant that she'd be arriving anytime now.

Archie had accepted her coming up until that moment. Her impending visit that was now upon us had sent him into a panic. But I had to give him credit where it was due. He didn't run. He didn't hide. He merely...freaked the hell out. And at the moment, he was talking quietly with Carlisle and Esme in his room.

As much as everyone wanted to be here to support Archie, Carlisle suggested that we empty the house a little. Eleven immortals were a lot to take in for a human. We weren't sure how she'd react. So Kevin, Adrian, Rose, and Emmett were all in Portland for at least the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours, depending on how things went. Alice insisted that she and Jasper were needed. Edward was _definitely_ needed, and Archie begged that I stay just in case having a human in the house was too much for him. However, the most important people were Carlisle and Esme. They were assuming their roles as the parents in this situation, not only for us, but Esme said that Caroline would need a mother figure.

My curiosity of Caroline was about to drive me crazy. The fact that she was coming here on her own either made her extremely brave or incredibly defiant. I wasn't sure which. I wondered what she looked like, even though Alice and Edward had described her over and over – blonde-haired, blue-eyed, petite. That wasn't enough for me. It didn't tell me enough. But what made me the most curious were the whys. Why was Caroline so determined to come here? Why go to all the trouble? Why run away from her father and family? And why couldn't we give her just a little more time?

Edward pressed kisses to my forehead, inhaling deeply as his fingers trailed up and down my arm. "You didn't want time, love," he reminded me gently, keeping his voice only for me.

"But I knew what I was getting into," I countered in a whisper, and Edward shifted us so that we were lying on our sides face to face. "And this is so different. I had almost a year with you before my change, and whether it was an emergency or not, I knew it was something that would and should happen eventually. It seems that Caroline won't get that."

"Going by Alice's visions alone, it does seem that way," Edward agreed, running his fingers through my hair. "You also know that her visions are subjective." He brushed a kiss across my forehead. "Caroline may get here, and everything may change. We don't know for sure."

I nodded, knowing he was right, but I guess I was just feeling for the girl. I knew what it was like to look into the eyes of a stranger and suddenly feel everything shift – my heart, my soul, my future. And if Alice's vision was correct, then Caroline's whole being was about to change.

Edward smiled softly at those thoughts, bringing his forehead to mine in order to nuzzle my nose with his own. "Sweet girl," he barely breathed before pressing his lips to mine.

A part of me wanted to warn her, prepare her. I wanted her to know just how beautiful and perfect and scary the feeling was. My human memories were blurry, but everything to do with meeting my sweet Edward was crystal clear. It was an amazing and intense feeling. I wanted her to know that there was nothing in the entire world like knowing – deep down in her soul – that it was a love that would never end. It was something she could lean on, find comfort in. Archie would forever fall at her feet. He would never hurt her, cheat on her, ignore her. It was impossible for mated couples to cause harm to the other. She would do anything for him.

"Hey, shh," Edward crooned, pulling back just a little to cup my face and look into my eyes.

_I'm nervous for them_, I thought to him.

"I am, too," he whispered, brushing kiss after kiss across my lips. "But your mind, Bella... You're killing me. To know you see it that way..." His head shook a little before he kissed me senseless.

I was lost to him. He was impossible to ignore anyway, but when his tongue slipped along mine, when his hands gripped my hip to pull me closer, and when that low, masculine moan hit my ears, I was completely gone. My own hands sought skin, slipping up the front of his black sweater and white T-shirt, my thumb brushing across abs, his navel, and finally, that little trail of hair just above the waistband of his black jeans.

Edward hitched my leg up higher over his hip as the movie we'd had on continued to play on in the background. If I wasn't paying attention before, it wasn't happening now. We lost ourselves completely for a moment, and I was pretty sure it was to distract ourselves for what was to come. I moaned low when I found myself underneath him, his hips settling between the cradle of my thighs.

With fingers digging into his back under his shirt, I pulled him closer. "Mmm," I hummed when his mouth opened to the side of my neck.

Bracing his hands on either side of my head, he gazed down at me like I was the best thing since sliced bread. He grinned at my thoughts. "Definitely better than bread." He sobered a little, lowering himself to his elbow so that he could trace my face with his fingertips. "I love you, my beautiful girl."

"Love you, too, baby," I sighed in contentment, running my fingers through his hair.

Edward became very still, his head turning just slightly away from me and toward the door. "She's here." He'd said it loud enough so that everyone remaining in the house heard him.

He stood up, helping me to my feet. We straightened our clothes and ran fingers through our hair. When he offered me his hand, I took it, linking our fingers together and leading me downstairs.

Once in the living room, I could see a taxi out front. A young girl was tugging a backpack strap over her shoulder as she handed the driver a few bills. She faced the house, and I smiled. She was a very pretty girl, with straight blonde hair and long dark eyelashes. She looked to be about my height, maybe closer to Alice's. And she looked nervous as hell. In fact, I could hear her heartbeat from where I was standing.

Carlisle and Esme walked in from the library as the doorbell echoed through the house. It was time to act like the kids we were supposed to be. Edward fell down onto the sofa, pulling me with him, and turned on the TV. Alice and Jasper joined us quickly, taking the loveseat. The only one that wasn't present was Archie, but no one was pushing him to do anything.

Esme opened the door, smiling down at the girl. "Yes? Can I help you?" she asked.

Caroline took in our mother with wide eyes, and I could only imagine what was going through her mind, but the smirk on Edward's lips meant it had to be amusing.

"Umm, you don't know me," she stammered, fidgeting with the strap of her backpack, "but my name's Caroline Dixon, and I used to live here."

"Hello, Caroline. I'm Esme Cullen." Esme placed a hand over her heart.

"Oh, damn, she's adorable," Alice said under her breath with a chuckle.

I smiled but shifted so that I could see her better. She looked like a little doll. Wide, bright blue eyes gazed at Esme, a small smile playing on her pink lips, showing a just-barely-there dimple on her right cheek. There were very pale freckles across her nose, and her eyelashes were long and much darker than her hair. But she was desperately nervous, because her fingers never stopped working that strap on her bag, nor did her teeth stop chewing on the inside of her cheek.

"It doesn't look at all like I remembered," Caroline said, shaking her head as she gazed around.

Esme smiled warmly. "Well, goodness, that must've been a while back. The realtor told us the house hadn't been lived in for quite some time."

"Ten years," Caroline supplied with a nod. "I was seven," she whispered, giving the front porch a longing look. She seemed to find some courage somewhere because she locked gazes with Esme before saying, "I'm planning on going to college in Portland, and I couldn't resist seeing the place. I hardly remember it."

"Uh-oh. Little liar, liar, pants on fire," Jasper sang, causing Edward to chuckle and nod.

"Give her a break," Alice chided, elbowing him.

"Won't you come in?" Esme offered, stepping back so that the girl could step over the threshold. "My husband and some of my kids are home, but you can feel free to see the place." She led her closer to the living room area, saying, "Kids, turn that thing down. We have company."

Edward shut the TV off, and we all looked up to see the girl standing next to our mother.

"Caroline Dixon, these are the youngest of my children. Over there is Edward and Bella, and this is Alice and Jasper," she introduced. "The rest of them are in Portland overnight to see a concert or something. And Archie's around here somewhere."

"Hey," she said shyly, and we waved back.

"And this is my husband, Carlisle," Esme said as Carlisle got up from his chair.

"Nice to meet you, Caroline," he said, shaking her hand. "Dixon...Dixon... That sounds familiar."

"It should. She used to live here. She was the last resident of this house," Esme explained, like he hadn't heard everything at the door.

"Oh! Is that right?" Carlisle smiled, his eyebrows raising up high.

Funny thing about Carlisle. That smile, that sweet, calm expression on his face, had a tendency to relax the most nervous of humans. This time was no different. Caroline's own smile spread across her face, and she let out a slow breath.

"Yeah," she sighed, glancing around, only to look over at those of us on the couches. "Look, I didn't mean to bother you. It was just... I needed..."

"It's understandable, Caroline, really," Esme soothed. "You can stay as long as you like. I was just about to make some coffee. Would you like some?"

"Well, my taxi is still outside..." she hedged.

"Don't be silly," Esme chided gently. "We can always call you another one. That way we can give you enough time to see the house. You've barely seen it." She glanced up at us, saying, "Edward, sweetie, would you please go pay the cab driver? Let him know we'll call him back."

"Yes, ma'am," Edward responded, immediately starting to get up, despite Caroline's protests about paying.

But I gripped his hand before he had stood up because my shield suddenly gave hard desperate pull, almost sending me to the floor on my butt.

"Bella?" Edward whispered, but my eyes shot to the doorway of the library.

"Oh, boy..." I breathed as took in the one expression I knew like the back of my hand.

Archie stood there, black-eyed and breathing heavily. His fists were balled up at his sides, and his face looked absolutely menacing, but I knew it for what it truly was. Archie had just caught sight of his mate.

* * *

**A/N... This isn't as bad as the other cliffie I left you with, but in all honesty, you'll want what's next in all one go. Trust me. In fact, the next chapter – which is done – is probably the most important when it comes down to Archie and Caroline.**

**Chapter announcement... Sigh... So I had not planned for Angelward to become this long of a fic, and in all honesty, it wasn't set to go this long. However, it is. And I know you're not complaining. My outline kind of flew out the window, and it wasn't for lack of trying to stick to it, but this Edward and Bella NEVER behave the way I usually intend for them to behave. LOL I keep saying 33 chaps – give or take. I'm running over that, if I'm calculating correctly. So at this point, I'm going to stop calculating. If asked, it'll end when it ends. LOL **shrugs** ;) And JenRar is probably laughing her ass off at this note because she totally called this issue...that I wouldn't be able to keep an Angelward fic under a certain amount of chapters.**

**No songs added to the playlist this time.**

**Chapter 29 is done, beta'd, and pre-read. I'm not sure I could've done that one without the help from my usual and priceless suspects – JenRar, GooberLou, and inkedupmom. The next one was...touchy at points. So that being said, the next post will be on Sunday as usual. Until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N... Okay, so not many questions this time around, but all of you are really excited that Archie's found his mate.**

**I do want to take this time to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday – whatever holiday you celebrate. Make sure you take time to remember it's not always about the presents and the cooking and the stress. Take time to spend time with those family members around you. **

**I know you're ready to see Archie's reaction, so I'll let you get to it. See you at the bottom...**

* * *

Chapter 29

**EDWARD**

"Oh, boy..."

Bella's hand shook as she gripped mine. Her shield was pulling and tugging at her hard. Her memories of me in biology flashed quickly to the forefront of her mind. As I faced the doorway of the library, I saw so much of myself in Archie that it was utterly ridiculous. The poor guy's mind was reeling. He had no idea what he was feeling, no clue as to why the mere sound of the human girl's voice had brought him up out of the library like a bloodhound catching a scent, and he was lost to the sound of her heartbeat. It wasn't even her blood that drew him in. And that _really_ didn't make sense to him.

"Jasper," I said low enough that Caroline couldn't hear me.

Jasper gathered everything he had in him to send out a calm feeling to the room. The most affected was Caroline, who physically shuddered. Her mind was quiet for a split second, but her eyes were locked onto Archie. However, I could hear her think she must have done something wrong since he looked so damned angry. Sighing, I gave my girl's hand a squeeze.

"You okay?" I asked her.

"Yeah, go to him," she stated almost silently back to me with a quick nod.

I stood up, walking straight to Archie. "Hey, Archie," I said in a conversational tone, but I gripped his shoulder hard in order to snap his attention to me. "Just in time." I raised an eyebrow at him. "Say hello to Caroline – she used to live here...a _long_ time ago – and then you can come with me outside to talk to the cab driver."

"What?" Archie muttered distractedly but looked to me when I squeezed his shoulder again. "Oh... umm, hello."

If Archie hadn't looked so damn fierce at the moment, this whole thing would've been comical. And I shook my head at just how close I'd come to this very thing when I caught sight of Bella that first biology class. The only difference between us was that I would have ravaged Forks High in its entirety just to get to Bella's blood, but Archie was just...drawn in by the sound of her, and now the look of her. The biggest difference of all? Caroline was not Archie's singer, which having been through it myself, was a really good thing for him.

Archie's voice caught Caroline's attention instantly. Her eyes dilated, her smile was nervous and shy, and her wave was the only acknowledgment that he got in return. But that was okay because Bella and Alice shot into action as I tried to guide Archie toward the front door.

"Why don't we show you the house while Mom makes the coffee," Bella offered with a genuine smile to Caroline.

Esme and Carlisle sagged in relief that we'd kicked into gear and left to make their way into the kitchen.

"Yeah," Alice chirped, leading both girls toward the library. "So tell us where you're from," my sister added, but her thoughts were all for me. _Archie's going to ask you questions. You can't tell him you knew this would happen. You can only listen to him explain what he's feeling. Tell him what she is, and he's gone._

I nodded imperceptibly, leading Archie out of the house.

"Edward..." Archie gasped, taking the outside air into his lungs like he couldn't get enough.

"Easy." My voice was a warning because the cab's window was open. "In a moment, Archie. I promise," I whispered, reaching into my pocket. I pulled out a rather large bill. "We may need you back. Should we call you directly or just contact the cab company?"

"Either way works, kid," the cabbie stated with a shrug, but he was happy with his tip. "It's not like I can't get back out here in like ten minutes."

I huffed a laugh. "Right. Gotcha. Does she have anything in here?"

"Nah, just what she took in with her."

"Thanks," I told him, patting the roof of the car. I waited until the taxi was well on its way down the driveway before I turned to Archie. "You okay?"

He pointed toward the house, a desperate look on his face. "That is _not_ the girl I remember..."

I fought my smile and won. "It's been ten years."

"She smells exactly the same," he whispered, gaping up at me with wide, curious eyes. "I couldn't stop from coming in there, Edward! I tried. I was just going to stay out of the way, but I couldn't! Was that Jasper?"

"No, not Jasper," I said, tilting my head at him. His urge to go back inside was befuddling him. He never wanted be closer to a girl, but he found himself chomping at the bit to get back inside just to see her. He hadn't put two and two together yet, and that was okay, because maybe if he figured it out on his own, he'd handle it better. "Is her scent bothering you? I can get Bella to shield you. She promised you that she would."

"No, it's not her blood, but...maybe?" he said, shrugging a shoulder. "Did I scare her? I didn't mean to. I tried to control it, but she..." His voice trailed off, and I chuckled.

"No, she's fine. Though, she was highly intrigued with you," I told him. "Right now, she's talking to Bella and Alice about California. And she's curious about Esme's comment about so many of us being 'some of' her kids. She's about to ask about how big our family really is."

"What will they say?" Archie asked.

I studied him for a moment, both mind and facial expression, but said, "Come. You'll see. In fact, you need to see how we handle this type of situation."

"'Kay," he sighed, walking with me toward the front porch steps. But before I reached for the doorknob, he gripped my arm. "What do I say?"

I rubbed my mouth to hide my smile because I'd been _right there_ before. And it had absolutely nothing to do with being a hundred-year-old vampire. It was purely about a man being nervous in front of a pretty girl. The hundred years had nothing to do with it. No experience in the world can prepare you for that one girl who held everything about you in the palm of their small hand. I hadn't thought it at the time, but I was rather lucky to have been able to observe humans around me for so long. At least I had some sort of clue how not to act like an idiot the first time I opened my mouth to Bella. Well, sort of. Archie, on the other hand, had several things stacked against him. He was still rather frightened of women, scared of what he was feeling, and essentially anti-social. This was going to be so very difficult.

"Say only what you're comfortable with. Don't be nervous, and don't forget to move slower, blink more, and relax. Remember...she was only eight the last time she was in this house. You..." I poked his chest. "You didn't look like you. You were famished and pale. She obviously doesn't recognize you, but right now, your guilt is written all over your face. You and I both know that you are not that same man. Understand?"

Archie swallowed nervously and nodded.

"Look at me," I said softly. "There's not one member of the family that wouldn't have reacted to Lisa Dixon the same way had we been in your shoes – as unfortunate as that is to say. Maybe Carlisle wouldn't have, but I'm honestly not sure. The fact that you didn't lose your mind after that long was nothing short of a miracle. You aren't that same man. Archie, in the last five months, you've shed that former part of yourself."

_She's too pretty to talk to_, he thought to himself.

"Yeah...well, like I said, only say what you're comfortable with," I sighed, truly feeling for him. I almost gave him a hint by saying I'd felt the same way about Bella the first time, but Alice's mind screeched inside my head.

_Edward, don't you dare!_

Looking to Archie, I asked, "Ready?"

"No. Not at all," he replied with a grimace, but he allowed me to lead him inside the house anyway.

There was loud laughter coming from the dining room area as Caroline sat with my family. Alice was telling Caroline what this place was like when we'd first stepped inside of it.

Esme looked up. "There you boys are! I was wondering what was taking so long. Is the taxi taken care of, Edward?"

"Yes, ma'am," I said, taking a seat beside Bella. Archie took the one on the other side of me, which put him directly across the table from Caroline. "He said we could call him when she's ready."

"Did you bring her things in, son?" Carlisle asked.

"She didn't have any," I stated, and Caroline shifted uncomfortably.

Through the girl's mind, I could see that she'd stowed the majority of her belongings at the bus station in a pay locker back in Columbus. The only thing she'd decided to bring with her to Caribou was the backpack currently hanging off the back of the dining room chair – the same bag where a phone started to ring.

She knew exactly who was calling her. Her father. Tugging the phone out, she ignored the call and then silenced the phone for any future calls. When she glanced up, she blushed profusely, reminding me of Bella when she was human.

"Sorry about that," she sighed, her nose wrinkling a little. "So... All of you live here?" she asked, looking to Bella and Alice.

Bella giggled but nodded, and there couldn't have been a better member of the family to answer this question.

"Um, Carlisle and Esme are foster parents for some of us, adoptive parents for others," my sweet girl started to explain. "There are nine kids."

"Nine?" Caroline asked with a laugh.

"Yup!" Bella said with a grin. "There are four that aren't here. They're staying overnight in Portland to see some local band play."

"Yeah, but _nine_?" Caroline giggled, and the sound practically drove Archie out of his mind. "I'm an only child, so I guess I have a hard time imagining it."

Carlisle chuckled. "Well, yes. Some of my kids are old enough to have aged out of the foster care system, but for all intents and purposes, they are our children. So they can stay as long as they'd like. Some are preparing for college next year. Some are still finishing their high school credits. What about you? You say you're going to college in Maine next year?"

Jasper looked to me when he felt her deception, but her face gave her away completely.

"Yeah." She sighed, frowning at the phone when it vibrated on the table in front of her. "Something like that," she muttered, giving the cell a dark look.

"Clingy boyfriend?" Alice asked with a smirk.

The sound that Archie let out made me kick him under the table. Luckily, the deep growl that he couldn't even stop was just low enough that Caroline didn't hear him. His eyes shot to mine. I simply shook my head once to tell him to wait for all the answers to the questions that were rattling around in his mind.

"No, just my dad." Caroline's voice sounded sad, and then she gave the room around her a long, slow glance.

My brow furrowed at what she was thinking. She was trying to remember living there, trying to push out the memories that came with it, but I could see that her life with Tim Dixon hadn't been all that easy. She'd needed him when Lisa disappeared, but as she grew older, Tim's fears, drinking, and irrational attempts of protecting her from everyone and everything had smothered her. She'd rebelled. I saw flashes of arguments about Lisa being dead versus having just left – Caroline believed the latter. There were long bouts of loneliness because Tim had gone through some very rough patches of grief, and he had to work extra hours to not only provide a home for himself and his daughter, but he'd had to start all over once they'd moved to California.

"You should answer him," Esme stated softly, and Caroline's eyes shot to hers. "I'm sure he's just checking on you. Does he know where you are?"

Caroline's first instinct was to answer with the truth, which was "not exactly." Instead, she stayed quiet, giving the house another glance.

"He doesn't," Archie said, causing most of us to look his way. The fact that he was talking to her shocked me, but then again, it didn't. His curiosity about her was overriding his shyness.

Caroline's heartbeat picked up at the sound of Archie's voice. When she looked at him, unable to lie, she simply shook her head no. She thought him to be the handsomest boy she'd ever laid eyes on, and normally, she wasn't a shy girl, but for some reason, she was tongue tied. That thought made me pick up Bella's hand under the table.

My family and Bella were bouncing questions off me left and right, but I could in no way answer them. They wanted to know what made her so sad, what reasons she'd had for running from her father, and how Archie was managing.

Jasper was picking up everything the girl was feeling – panic, sadness, fear, and a touch of lust. He felt sorry for her, and for Archie. With a nod from me, he sent her a touch of determination and a little bit of bravery, which resulted in a strange combination, allowing the girl to try to lie again.

"He knows I was visiting the school," she lied, spinning her phone on the table and not meeting anyone's eyes. "But he'd have a heart attack if he knew I was here," she added, and _that_ was the truth.

Archie physically flinched. "Why's that?" he asked her softly.

She gazed at him, fear now stronger than anything Jasper had given her. She didn't want to leave the boy or the family that made her so curious, but she couldn't risk her father finding out where she was. The problem with that was...she had nowhere to go, yet she was just about to bolt from the house.

"I should go," she whispered, starting to stand.

"You ran away," I stated, tilting my head at her.

The look she shot me was angry and surprised, but her answer was quick. "I'm eighteen. I'm legally allowed to do what I want."

"That answer may work for everyone else, but I'm surrounded by teenagers. I know a lie when I hear it," Esme pointed out gently. She was about to pull the mother's intuition card on the girl. "Why are you _really_ here, Caroline?"

She sat back down hard in her chair, giving all of us a long, slow glance before looking at her hands on the table. She noted our looks, our manners, and our clothes. She surmised that we had money, that there was something different about us that she couldn't quite put her finger on, but there was too much going on in her mind to give it the attention she wanted.

Archie, on the other hand, was absolutely terrified of her answer. He braced himself for what she was about to say. And he needed to, because this wasn't going to be easy. Caroline, for some reason, felt okay with blurting out the truth to us.

"I had just turned seven when we moved here," she started softly. "My mother didn't want to be here, but my dad... He loved it here. He'd gotten a really good job. He liked the small town thing." She sighed, waving a hand. She looked to Esme, saying, "They fought all the time."

My eyes flickered to Archie, who was trying his damnedest to remember that, but he couldn't. He'd been too hungry by the time the family had moved in.

"I think I was too young to care, really," she went on, shrugging a shoulder.

I grimaced a little at the thoughts of her mother. She was a little like Renee, not really an attentive parent, but she meant well. The move had most likely been against her will and too much to deal with, so she wasn't exactly in the best of moods. Caroline remembered loud arguments, undeserved punishments, and a lack of affection. And I wondered if Archie had simply reacted to Lisa's treatment of Caroline, only he didn't remember it.

"Is your mom the one that went missing in this house?" Bella asked, simply to prompt her, and I could've kissed her for it. Instead, I squeezed her hand. "I mean, we heard about it in town."

"Do they still think this dumb house is haunted?" Caroline countered sarcastically. When we all nodded, she sighed. "Yes. That was my mom." Her face contorted into an angry expression, and she let out a deep breath, suddenly going off on a rant. "My dad was so stupid! He swears something happened to her, that she's dead. But she _hated _it here! He told me over and over that there was something wrong with this house, and that's why we left. Every time I'd ask him why, he'd just tell me that it was time, that we needed to leave, that the house was dangerous. I knew he was lying...or crazy."

She glared down at the table, a finger running along the grain of the wood. "I thought he'd moved on from my mom's cold case, but apparently not. A few months ago, a call came in, and we both answered it. I stayed on the line upstairs, though. I heard the policewoman tell him a new family had moved in, and he told the officer that the house was bad, that they should get out. It's ridiculous. It's just a damn house! I needed to prove to myself that he was wrong – that it wasn't the house...that it was all in his head."

Archie shifted uncomfortably before hiding his balled-up fists under the table. What he truly wanted to do was bolt from the room – or really, the house completely – but there was an undeniable force keeping him firmly planted right in front of the girl he'd unknowingly saved ten years ago. His guilt was like a bad taste in his mouth, and he couldn't get rid of it.

"I needed to see this place for myself. I knew it wasn't the house," she whispered, finally looking to my parents. "You guys are perfectly fine. He dragged me across the country to get away from here. He's never allowed me any freedom. He has to know exactly where I am at all times. I'm tired of it."

Carlisle sniffed and shifted forward, resting his elbows on the table. "People do strange things when they're grieving, Caroline."

"Yeah, yeah, I know... There are five stages of grief – denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance." She ticked all five off on her fingers, stating them like they were nothing. "I've met all five. My father hasn't. I'm not sure he got passed denial, actually," she murmured wryly.

Carlisle smiled sadly but nodded. "Maybe he didn't. Each person has to go at their own pace. You were young at the time; it was easier for you to adapt. Your father may be a different story."

"You sound like my therapist." She shot him a narrow-eyed glance, but he merely smiled.

"Well, we've certainly had our fair share of sessions around here," Bella snorted, grinning up at me.

Realization dawned on Caroline as she locked eyes with Bella. The term "foster children" rattled around in her mind, and she suddenly figured out that most of us may or may not have come from rough backgrounds.

"I'm sorry," she gasped. "I didn't mean... I'm sorry. I should really go."

She stood up completely, grabbing her backpack, and Archie panicked. He really, _really_ didn't want her to go. His gaze shot to Carlisle and then me, begging me to keep her here. He knew she was lying.

Carlisle stood up as well. "Caroline, do you have some place to go?"

She gaped up at him, but when he looked to me, I shook my head no. I couldn't tell him she was stuck here until the next bus left for Ohio. Her plan was to just get here. Getting back would take an extra day or two – and money she wasn't quite sure she had – and at this point, she thought her dad a liar, and she wasn't sure she _wanted_ to go back, even if it was extended family. However, she was considering hanging out at the bus station until it was time.

When she didn't answer him, Esme stepped in. "You have no plan, do you?"

_Edward, we _have_ to keep her here,_ Alice urged me silently. _Her leaving unleashes all sorts of problems._

I could see why. The bus station was a magnet for transients. She wouldn't be safe just hanging out for more than a few hours. That was the first problem. The second issue was Archie. He was just about to come out of his own skin at the thought of her leaving. Even worse was that he didn't know why.

"Jasper," I barely said aloud, jerking my chin to Archie.

_Got him, Ed, _Jasper thought to me, getting up from the table. "Yo, Arch. You still stuck on that same level of Halo?" he asked him, making him stand up and walk into the living room, all the while sending him calming, comforting vibes.

Once they were seated on the couch, Archie hissed, "What the hell is wrong with me?"

"Just wait, Arch," Jasper said with a soft tone.

"Mom, she should just stay here!" Alice chirped, grinning like it was the suggestion of a slumber party rather than keeping the poor girl off the streets.

"Caroline? Do you have a place to go?" Carlisle asked her again.

"No... I mean, I was catching the next bus, but..." she stammered, fiddling with the strap on her bag again.

I held up two fingers behind her back to my father, telling him she'd be waiting two days. I then rubbed my thumb and fingers together to tell them that money was an issue.

Esme sighed, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "It's too dangerous for a young woman to be out there on her own. And from the look of things, you don't look like you're quite...prepared."

Caroline looked thoroughly chastised and gazed down at the floor. It was the first time a parental figure had said something that she took to heart. She wasn't used to a mother, but she found that she sort of liked it.

I nodded for Esme to keep going.

"Sweetie, I honestly can't let you go out on your own. If you'd like, you can stay here. When is your bus due?" she asked Caroline.

"Wednesday."

Carlisle nodded, sighing. "I'd really like it if your father knew where you were. If it were one of my girls, I'd be frantic," he said, placing a hand on Bella's shoulder. "I know you're at odds with him at the moment, but I'd feel much better if he knew you were here."

"No!" she gasped, shaking her head fervently.

"I know you're an adult," Esme started gently. "But being an adult also means acting responsibly."

As if right on cue, the phone in Caroline's hand started to buzz again. She looked pained at the prospect of answering it.

"If you'd like, I can talk to him," Carlisle offered softly. "But he should hear from you first."

Caroline frowned, sliding her thumb across the screen. "Hey, Dad..."

"Don't you 'hey, dad,' me, Caroline Lynn! You want to tell me why your Uncle Jack went to pick you up at the airport and you weren't there? Just where the hell are you?"

We all flinched because his voice carried over the phone. Tim Dixon was pissed, but there was an underlying fear that laced throughout his words. He was terrified of anything happening to his daughter.

"Dad, I..."

"Tell me where the hell you are, Caroline!" he bellowed over the phone.

"Caribou."

The the silence that rang out was deafening. Even worse was the eerily calm voice that broke that silence.

"Why are you in Caribou?" Tim Dixon asked slowly, as if he were talking to a not-so-bright child, and I sneered at the phone in her hand. "Haven't I told you—"

"I've heard every word you've ever told me, Dad," Caroline snapped, finally finding her voice. "And guess what? It's all bullshit. I'm standing in our old house, and the family here? They're just fine. There's no evil here. Just a really nice family. They've been here for six months with no problems at all."

My eyebrows shot up, but Bella hid her smile into my arm, her thoughts rather amused and impressed, but she was also concerned.

_She doesn't believe a thing he's ever told her, huh?_ She asked her question silently, and I shook my head no. _There's more to it, isn't there?_

I nodded, squeezing her fingers. I needed to tell them about Lisa Dixon. I honestly believed that despite Archie's deep-seated hunger, he'd been protecting Caroline. And he may have done it all without knowing it.

I thought for a moment that Carlisle was about to step in, but I was surprised when it was Esme that asked for the phone.

"If you don't believe me, then here...talk to them," Caroline huffed, rolling her eyes and handing the phone over to Esme.

"Caroline...wait!" Tim yelled over the phone, but he was soon met with calm, cool, and completely in control. Esme's demeanor made me have to hide my smile.

"Hello, Mr. Dixon?" Esme said into the phone.

"Who's this?"

"My name's Esme Cullen. My family and I are currently living at the Varner home," she told him, still using the calmest tone she could muster, despite his huffing and puffing on the other end.

"I suppose I should apologize for my daughter just showing up unannounced," he surmised, sounding uncomfortable. "She has a tendency to fly off the handle. I don't know what that girl was thinking! Ever since she turned eighteen, she's been out of control."

"Well, I find her to be a very articulate and brave young woman for facing something that's obviously a bone of contention between you," Esme countered. "I'm aware of the history of this house, Mr. Dixon. Caribou is a very small town, and people talk. I'm sorry for what happened to your family while you were living here, but I assure you that Caroline is safe and sound. I have teenage girls of my own – three to be exact – and I know you must've been going out of your mind with worry."

Tim sighed deeply. "When she didn't show up for my brother..." He groaned, and there was a shifting on the line. "I've lost my wife. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to Caroline."

Bella shifted a little next to me, her thoughts flying to Charlie. She understood the dynamic of this situation. She made another mental note to call him when we had a moment. If things worked out according to how Alice saw them, then Tim would be losing his daughter. Though, we were all hoping that we could buy them some time.

Leaning over to her ear, I whispered, "Soon, sweet girl."

She smiled up at me, thanking me silently.

"Truly, I understand," Esme agreed with him softly. "Now..." she sighed, though her voice was a little lighter. "I've offered a place for Caroline to stay until she can catch the next bus to Ohio. She's perfectly safe with us. Like I said, I have kids her age, and she's most welcome here. My husband and I are foster parents – it was why we chose this home...for its size. Our information is readily available to you, and I can send it your way."

"I see..." Tim was quiet for a moment but then sighed deeply again. "No offense, Mrs. Cullen—"

"Please, call me Esme."

"Right. No offense, Esme, but right now, I can't see trusting my daughter any farther than I can throw her," he stated wryly.

She smiled when Caroline scoffed, but spoke into the phone. "Yes, well... Kids can push your limits."

I gasped, placing my hand over my heart like I was wounded. Which caused all the girls, Caroline included, to chuckle. Carlisle simply rolled his eyes. Esme, however, mentally told me to shut up because I was one of her best behaved. I snorted, shaking my head a little.

"What would you like for me to do, Mr. Dixon?" Esme asked him over the phone. "I'm not quite sure Caroline was prepared to get back to Ohio... And I can't see letting her just hang out at the bus station for two days. I wouldn't feel right."

Caroline blushed, gazing down at the floor as she shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

"I don't want her on the bus." His statement was solid and unwavering. "I can catch the earliest flight out to you."

"That would be perfectly fine," she soothed.

"And you're sure it won't be much trouble?"

"No! No trouble at all. She's getting along great with my own children," Esme stated. "She's welcome to stay until you get here. Let me give you my phone and email. You can send me your flight information once you've secured it." Esme rattled off her cell phone number, email, and the home phone number.

"Thank you, Esme," he sighed wearily. "Now...may I speak with my daughter one more time?"

"Absolutely. Have a safe flight, Mr. Dixon."

"Tim...please."

"Excellent. Tim, we'll see you soon," Esme sang, handing the phone back to Caroline.

She took it tentatively, looking at it like it would bite her, but she put it up to her ear. "Dad?"

"Caroline Lynn Dixon...you are in so much trouble," he groaned, though the venom of his temper was not as potent as before his conversation with Esme. "My trust in you is completely gone. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Dad."

"Do you feel safe where you are?" he asked her.

"Yeah, definitely," she said without hesitation. "There's nothing wrong with this house!"

Tim sighed, and I could just imagine he was not believing a word she said. His fear was deeply ingrained in him, but talking to Esme had helped.

Bella smirked, shaking her head a little. My smart girl had theories that humans mated to vampires lost the fear. She'd never once been afraid of me or my family. Kevin had never even flinched around us. While most humans would've been uncomfortable in our presence, most likely not knowing why, Bella assumed that it was a part of their personal makeup to just...accept us. And it was obvious by Caroline's lack of worry, fear, and nervous heartbeat that she'd meant what she'd said.

"You are to stay where you are, young lady. Do you hear me?" he told her firmly.

"Yes, sir."

"I'm coming to you. Once I get there, we'll have a long talk about whether or not you're still going to Uncle Jack's. If...and that's a really big if, Carrie... If I decide you can go, I'll drive you there myself. Got me?" he asked her.

"Yes, Daddy," Caroline answered, her nose wrinkling at the nickname.

"And for God's sake, please be safe. Understand?"

There was the fear. He really hated this house – or maybe just what had happened inside of it. I'd be interested to see his mind once he arrived to pick her up. I looked to Alice, whose expression had gone dark, but I could see that nothing had change.

She locked gazes with me and shrugged. _I don't get it, Edward. No matter what we do, no matter how we try to keep her safe, she still is one of us by the summer. I want Archie happy, but I just wish we could give the girl some time. What the hell are we doing wrong?_

I shook my head at her because I honestly didn't know.

Caroline ended her conversation with her dad and pocketed her phone. She gazed up at Esme, saying, "Thank you."

"My pleasure, Caroline," my mother told her. "Now...we just need to get you a place to sleep."

Alice was practically screaming in my head that it needed to be Archie's room. It was the only room that wasn't set up as a "couples" room. Caroline hadn't seen the bedrooms upstairs yet. Archie's room also looked like a lived-in room because Archie spent most of his free time, his quiet time, in his bedroom.

"What about Archie's room, Mom?" I suggested. "He can take Kevin and Adrian's room...or the living room."

I flinched when Archie's mind went wild with more questions, unknown feelings, and an odd sense of pride that she'd be in his room. I wanted to laugh, but I couldn't. Poor Archie was all kinds of confused, and we needed to sit down with him soon before he snapped.

Caroline blinked up at me, her nerves centered around _whose_ room it was.

"Good idea, Edward," Esme stated, turning to the young woman. "I think we can get you some clothes for the next day or two, as well. We'll know more when your father sends his flight information."

Bella eyed the girl, smirking a little at our forgetfulness. "Caroline, are you hungry? We've already eaten, but I'd be glad to make you a sandwich or something."

Carlisle winced a little, and I snorted. We were a little out of practice.

_Thank God for Bella_, he thought to me, and I turned around to hide my smile because I thanked God for her every day – and not just because she remembered to feed the human.

_Yeah, I got this_, Bella thought with a really soft giggle. _Go...be a teenager, Edward._

Grinning, I ached to kiss her but thought better of it. For the time being, we needed to maintain the facade.

Caroline smiled. "Yeah, that'd be great. Thank you."

All three girls made their way into the kitchen, and I turned to Carlisle and Esme, speaking quickly and almost silently. "We need to sit down as a family. Soon."

Carlisle nodded, thinking, _I figured. How's Archie holding up?_

"He's completely confused."

My father nodded again and asked about Alice's vision.

"Nothing's changed," I stated, frowning at him.

"Fair enough, son," he sighed. "Perhaps once Caroline has gone to bed, we'll be able to sit down as a family to talk."

I nodded. "That's what I was thinking."

~oOo~

**BELLA**

As Alice, Esme, and Caroline chatted at the kitchen counter, I made the poor girl a sandwich. Everyone had completely overlooked her diet. Luckily, we'd stocked up the kitchen a few days before. Alice had insisted. As I slathered mayo onto the bread, I realized this would be a touchy situation for the next day or two...or however long it took Tim Dixon to fly across the country. We had to maintain a human facade. It wasn't just eating three meals a day, but it was also possible "sleeping" arrangements, public displays of affection, and maybe even school work.

For the first time, I was able to truly take a look at her. She was pretty and, from what I could tell, extremely brave. She also was tenacious and headstrong. Her bright blue eyes danced around the kitchen.

"Do you remember living here?" I asked her, setting her plate down in front of her.

"A little?" she said, though it ended up sounding like a question. "It was such a weird time. My therapist seems to think I blocked some of it out. Like...I remember the school I went to and some of my friends there, but I don't remember what my room looked like here."

"Perhaps that's for the best," Esme soothed. "It was a difficult time, I imagine."

Caroline shrugged, taking a bite of her sandwich. Once she'd chewed and swallowed, she said, "I guess so. I remember my mom a little. I know she was unhappy here. She and my dad fought a lot. I was sent to my room for any little thing."

She took another bite, and we let her have the silence, but she continued. "My dad is convinced that something happened to her because of this house. I really think she just...left. That she was unhappy with her life. It seemed that way, anyway. And to be honest, I'm okay with it either way. It's been so long."

Esme and I locked gazes but said nothing. She ate in silence for another few bites, but Alice started her on the topic of school, college, and the future. Typical Alice things. Caroline apologized for lying about visiting the college, but it wasn't completely an untruth. She really had applied to colleges in Maine and had been accepted to one in Portland.

I was putting away the bread and mayo when movement caught my sight out of the corner of my eye. I didn't have to look; I could smell that it was Archie. But when I did glance up, my heart went out to him. His face looked pained, his eyes were wide with curiosity and totally focused on Caroline, and his hands were fidgeting, like he couldn't figure out what to do with them. He couldn't stay away from her, and _that_ I understood. He was so much like Edward sometimes, it was scary. He was completely nervous and shy around her, but I was damn sure he hadn't figured out why he couldn't not be in the same room with her.

"Hey, Arch," I sang, waving him over. "Did you whip Jasper's behind on Halo?" I asked him with a grin, trying not to laugh at my other brother's scoff from the living room.

"No," he snorted, cracking a small smile as he joined us.

Caroline's heartbeat picked up, and _that_ I understood, too. I could already tell that she was hyper-aware of his every move. It was impossible that she not find Archie attractive. He was immortal, yes, which carried its own beauty, but he was handsome. It was a youthful beauty. He was tall, lean, and his smile could just melt a girl's heart, and from the sound of things, Caroline's was a goner.

"You're givin' up your room, big guy. Did you know?" I asked him, leaning casually on the counter, hoping he'd follow my lead, which he did perfectly.

I knew that Archie was more than comfortable with me, so I was hoping that would carry over while he was in the room with Caroline. And it did. He focused on answering me instead of the heavy heartbeat, the scent of blood, and the not-so-subtle glances he was getting.

"Yes. Edward told me I needed to show her where it was," he answered. "I'm supposed to take the living room for the night, he said."

I smirked up at him, knowing my husband was trying his best to stay out of the whole relationship/mating thing, but I knew my Edward better than anyone in the entire house. He didn't want anything to mess up Archie's chances at happiness. Edward would never want Archie to live his long, long life without his mate. He also knew what it was like to meet the other half of his soul and try to walk away, so as far as my sweet husband was concerned, this was so very important. There was no room for shyness or for meddling. Archie needed to fight through everything he was afraid of and seize this moment.

"I'm sure he did," I murmured, turning to Caroline. "I think I have some pajamas that might fit you."

Esme stood up, patting Caroline's shoulder, but turned to Archie. "Son, why don't you show Caroline to your room? I'll set you up a place to sleep in the living room while Bella gets clothes for Caroline."

Alice took Caroline's now-empty plate and proceeded to wash it. I could tell she was using the time to search through her visions to sort out the outcomes.

Archie took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay," he said softly, finally looking to Caroline. "If you're ready... I can show you."

"Okay," she conceded, slipping down from the stool.

Once they were out of the kitchen, Alice looked up at me wearing the silliest of smiles, but she said nothing.

Bolting up the stairs at a human pace, I rummaged around in my closet and dresser to put together a few things for Caroline to wear. Pajamas, jeans, and a shirt or two would do. I froze as Archie's voice met my ears because it was a touch of deja vu.

"Um, so yeah... This is my room," he said softly, nervously.

I sat down on the edge of my bed, my hand over my mouth, because he sounded so damned familiar. I wanted to laugh, but I wanted to shed a tear at just how fragile he sounded. Had Edward sounded that nervous? I decided that he had, but the biggest difference between the moments were that at the time I'd first glimpsed at Edward's bedroom, I'd known exactly who and what he was. Caroline was ignorant.

Gathering up the pile of clothes I'd put together, I headed back downstairs. Passing through the living room, I stepped into the library to see Edward at the piano. His look was warm and sweet, but he said nothing. He was also staying close to Archie should he be needed.

"I don't remember this room," Caroline mused softly, giving Archie's room a long, slow gaze.

"You probably didn't know it was here," I said, descending the steps from the library into the basement bedroom. "We didn't find it until we started the renovations. When Archie joined us, we turned it into his room."

She smiled and thanked me when I handed her the clothes, but she looked to Archie. "So you're the youngest?"

"I'm the most recent to join the family," he stated the truth carefully. "Edward, Bella, and Alice are the youngest."

I could've beamed with pride at how he was handling the questions being thrown at him.

Caroline accepted that answer with a nod. "So your parents..."

"Both my parents are gone," he stated, and again, it was the truth, so he was doing very well.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she whispered, looking up at him sadly.

"Don't be. It was a long time ago," he sighed, swallowing nervously, though I got the impression that her scent was getting to him.

I heard Edward pass that information on quietly, and suddenly, Esme's voice echoed down the basement steps.

"Archie, I've got blankets and stuff for you. You might want to grab a change of clothes for tomorrow."

"Yes, ma'am," he called up, walking to his dresser and pulling out a folded pair of jeans and grabbing a shirt from the closet.

"Caroline, if you need anything, you just let one of us know. Okay?" Esme added.

"Yes, ma'am," Caroline called up, but turned to me. "She's—"

"Amazing, yeah," I finished for her, and she nodded with wide eyes. "Esme is the mother I've always needed," I stated without apology. I loved Renee and missed her terribly, but I had taken care of her my whole life, and it had been difficult to discuss serious things with her. Esme filled the role perfectly for me.

"She didn't have to talk to my dad," Caroline whispered.

"No, but she meant every word. You're welcome to stay as long as you need to," I told her with a smile.

"Thanks," she said, but looked up at Archie. "Good night. And thanks for the use of your room."

"Night," he said with a nervous smile.

By the time I followed Archie out of the library and into the living room, he looked like was about to collapse under the pressure.

"Sit, son," Carlisle instructed him gently. "You handled that magnificently."

Archie fell down onto the sofa next to Carlisle but stayed quiet. His eyes were wide, and I turned to Edward before sitting down next to him. He picked up my hand, kissing the back of it.

Carlisle stood up and started to pace, but he turned to Jasper. "How's she coping?"

"Fine," Jasper said with a shrug. "She's not scared now. She was terrified of talking to her father, but that's to be expected, considering she ran away. Aside from the college ruse, she's been perfectly honest."

"Edward?" Carlisle prompted.

Edward sat forward, giving Archie a side glance before turning his attention to Carlisle. "She's interesting. Jasper's right. She's not scared of us at all. She already noted our looks and that we're different once, but she hasn't processed it, really. What I found interesting was the thoughts of her parents."

Archie's head shot up to pay attention.

Again, my husband's eyes flickered his way, but he continued on to Carlisle. "Tim Dixon was extremely...vigilant when it came to her safety. Almost overly so. It seems to have caused a rift in their relationship quite a while back. She rebels against it. Repeatedly."

"That would make sense. He's suffered a loss already. He's most likely terrified of losing his daughter," Carlisle surmised.

"That may be true, but even more so is her theories on her mother," Edward stated, and this time, he did turn to Archie. "I need to ask you something, Archie. And I need you to really try to remember. Okay?"

Archie nodded fervently, waiting for him to go on.

"What do you remember about Lisa Dixon? I know that you've shown me what happened that day, but do you remember anything prior to that? Anything at all?" Edward asked, and his voice was urging, like the answer was of the utmost importance.

Archie's brow furrowed, and he sat forward and stared at the floor. "I remember the day they moved in," he said softly. "Their scents were overpowering, but I managed to catch a stray cat and a raccoon..."

We all nodded, though I wasn't sure he saw us. It made sense. He was stronger than he ever gave himself credit.

"I know Caroline said her parents fought. And something about that sounds familiar, but..." He sighed, looking up at Edward with a begging expression. "The day it..._that_ happened, I remember her on the phone. She was yelling, angry, threatening with something called..._time out_." Archie closed his eyes, and Edward's narrowed in on him. "She wasn't nice."

"I figured. Caroline's own memories of her aren't all that kind," Edward muttered, looking up at Carlisle with a swift shake of his head and a warning to his glare. "Now...tell me about the night that you warned Tim Dixon...their last night."

My heart broke at Archie's face. He looked so pained as he spoke. "I tried so hard, Edward. I couldn't take it. I was so thirsty."

"I know." Edward sounded understanding, but he simply waited.

"I...I wanted to catch something else, and when they'd go to sleep at night, I tried, but I wasn't successful." Archie sighed, rubbing his face with both hands. "It seemed so difficult to stay away, but it was more his blood that drew me in than hers. He was always so damned nervous."

I nodded, knowing that adrenaline made the blood smell sweeter, but I wasn't so sure Archie was catching Edward's drift. I had, and I was waiting for him to put it all together.

"I looked down at her," Archie groaned, shaking his head. "I couldn't do it. And he woke up. I was... I wasn't showing myself at the moment, but when he woke up, I had to either finish what I'd started or get them the hell out of there. I chose the latter. I'd already put her through enough. I couldn't take her father, too. I was barely capable of thinking, but I knew that much."

"You've got guts, man," Jasper praised, shaking his head as he smiled crookedly, but his eyes shot to Edward's.

Edward gazed up at Carlisle, his eyebrows raising up as he nodded slowly.

Alice gasped, her mouth hanging open. Her eyes shot over to Edward and then to Carlisle, who had started to pace again.

"What's wrong with me?" he asked, looking around at all of us. "I feel...so strange."

Carlisle smiled, taking a seat on the coffee table so that he was directly in front of Archie. He glanced over at Alice when she nodded and muttered, "Yes."

"Strange how, son?" he asked, giving the nervous man in front him his full attention.

"She..." Archie pointed toward the library. "She scares me to death. And yet I feel...pulled to her. It's all I can do not to ask Edward everything she's thinking. I need to know more, but I'm..."

"Nervous," Edward provided, shooting a grinning Jasper an irritated yet amused glare.

"Yeah."

"What do you think of her?" Carlisle asked, ignoring his other two sons in the room.

"She's...beautiful. She's very brave, but so very stupid for coming here. She shouldn't have done that," he said almost with a growl. "What if... I mean, what if you guys weren't here? What if I were my old self? She could've been killed!"

I hid my grin in Edward upper arm because his protectiveness had kicked into overdrive. I wanted to grab his sweet face and tell him why, but I couldn't. He really needed to figure it out on his own.

Edward dropped a heavy kiss to the top of my head and simply whispered, "Almost."

Carlisle nodded. "That might be true, though I don't think so. Archie, did Esme ever tell you we met prior to her accident?"

Archie shook his head no.

Sniffing once, Carlisle nodded. "We did. I was working at a hospital the day she was brought in with a broken arm. She was sixteen years old at the time." He shot a warm, loving look to his wife and then turned back to Archie. "She was so very young. That was even before I met Edward. I knew then what she was to me."

Edward let out a breath and nodded to Archie. "Yes, they obviously met again. Only under different circumstances. That time, he was...unable to walk away." He looked at me with warm, honey eyes. "Did I ever tell you that Bella's first day of school, I saw her first in the lunchroom? The thoughts surrounding her were...interesting. Some were just simple curiosity, but some...they were rather...vile. I hadn't even looked her in the eye, and I immediately wanted to protect her from the shallow classmates that were thinking one thing yet saying another."

Archie's breathing picked up. He glanced between Edward and Carlisle. I saw the very second the truth of things dawned on him. His mouth fell open, his eyes widened, and his hands clenched into fists on his lap.

My shield lurched, and I went with it, wrapping him up in it and my arms. "Easy, Archie."

"She can't be," he whispered to me, shaking his head in denial.

"She is," Edward stated calmly.

"She'll hate me," Archie wheezed, looking at him.

Jasper chuckled. "Oh, but she doesn't."

"But she will!"

I grasped Archie's face. "Look at me, sweetie. You first need to calm down. And then I want you to listen to us." When his now-darkening eyes met mine, I went on. "I think you knew then, but due to your hunger, you didn't quite figure it out. I also think that you – without knowing it – were protecting her. Do you understand?"

"From what?"

"Her mother." Carlisle's voice was firm. "As irrational as it sounds, perhaps you felt Caroline to be threatened by her mother's attitude. Combine that with your thirst, her slip of the knife, and the fact that Caroline was...intended to be yours...you wouldn't have been able to stop yourself."

"I almost killed Caroline!" he argued in a hiss.

"But you didn't," Edward countered. "Archie, you just said yourself that it wasn't her that drew you in...it was him. You were way past rational thirst, but you still protected her."

"But I'm a—"

I grabbed Archie's face hard, his lips pooching out. "If the word _monster_ escapes your mouth, I will personally drag you outside and kick your ass."

His eyes widened as Jasper and Edward broke out into hysterics.

"Bewwa," he muttered through his squished face, which didn't help the laughter calm down any.

My nostrils flared as my eyes narrowed at him. "Carlisle and Edward are all about their theories, but having been in Caroline's place, do you want my opinion or not?"

The laughter stopped, and they all gave me their attention, especially a frantically nodding Archie.

"Right now...all she can think about is you. She wants to know more about you, hear you speak, and she's absolutely hoping like hell that you like her. I don't have even have to ask the mind reader in the room," I stated, though Edward nodded. "You know that humans naturally fear us, but I was never – at any point – _ever_ afraid of Edward or anyone else in this family. Kevin...he was exactly the same way when he met us, even after he knew what we were. _My theory_ is that when your mate is human...they aren't afraid. And I can tell you the quickening of her heart has nothing whatsoever to do with fear."

Alice and Esme giggled, nodding in agreement.

"What do I do?" he squeaked, pulling my hand away from his face.

"That's entirely up to you," Carlisle stated. "My suggestion is to be yourself, but we've all been through this very thing."

"Get to know her," Esme suggested. "You've got a few days."

He sighed and nodded, but his pained expression looked to Edward. "Now that I know... I mean...her father's coming. How do I let her go?"

Edward placed a hand on Archie's shoulder, but my husband's face was so very solemn. "You'll find the strength if it's the best thing for her, but we will help you in any way we can."

Archie groaned, putting his face in his hands as I rubbed his back. "She should know the truth. It's only fair."

"Again, Archie. That's up to you," Carlisle told him soothingly. "I'd say that humans shouldn't know, but when it involves your other half...I'm not so sure the rules apply. Take the night, son. Think about it."

"I meant the truth about her mother, but I suppose that means what I am, too," he said, giving me a side glance.

"Don't say the word, Archie," Edward warned him with a laugh. "She wasn't kidding."

I grinned, pretending to crack my knuckles, but I leaned into Edward's sweet kiss to my cheek.

"I feel...overwhelmed." Archie's voice was nervous and shy.

Carlisle nodded, standing up from the table on which he'd been sitting. He placed a hand on Archie's shoulder. "It's an amazing, frightening, and absolutely perfect feeling. And trust me when I tell you... We will help you."

* * *

**A/N... Now Archie knows who she is to him. He feels it. Someone asked me if Caroline would be his singer. No. And someone asked if they would have the same connection as Edward and Bella – the _Completi l'amina_ – and that's a no. The "one soul" connection is very, very rare.**

**Caroline is very angry with her father...and some of it is for good reason. And some things come to light about Lisa Dixon, as well.**

**There's no song for the playlist this time around. Sorry, guys.**

**However, Chapter 30 is done, beta'd, and pre-read. So posting will be after Christmas on Wednesday. :) I know that you'll be glad about that. I had been worried that with RL, that I'd get behind, but so far, I've been able to keep up. Until next time... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N... I hope that everyone had a good Christmas. :) To be honest, I'm kind of glad it's over. People go crazy during the holidays. I'm sure it's a miracle that I didn't punch someone this year. Just sayin'. ;)**

**There weren't many questions this time around. A lot of you are convinced that Archie will be protective of Caroline, so I guess we'll see. They've barely spoken up until now. So I'll let you get on with it... See you at the bottom...**

* * *

Chapter 30

**BELLA**

_Tha-thump, tha-thump, tha-thump..._

Caroline's rhythmic heartbeat was calm, slow, and told that she was in a deep sleep. The house was quiet, though there were several different conversations going on at one time at a volume that the sleeping human would've never heard. Carlisle and Esme were outside on the back deck, speaking in low tones about Archie and Caroline and what the future may hold for them – Edward and I were brought up quite often in comparison. Alice and I were in Edward's and my room. She was flipping through a magazine while I read a book. The boys were playing a video game in the living room with the sound down low.

We were – for Archie's sake – trying to maintain a calm, controlled atmosphere. Jasper was helping, but most likely, it was the gentle heartbeat that was keeping us in check.

Tim Dixon had emailed his itinerary. He wouldn't be arriving until Thursday afternoon, due to a work meeting he couldn't get out of and flight schedules. Most flights that he'd checked were booked, others had long layovers in Atlanta, and I could imagine some were just damned expensive. He took what he could. And that meant we'd have Caroline in our home for three days. Four...if you counted the day before when she'd knocked on our door.

It was a little bit before three o'clock in the morning – the middle of the night. Caroline had fallen completely asleep not long after Archie's self-discovery that she was indeed his mate. It had taken Jasper and Carlisle both to stop him from going into his room simply to see her. Edward said nothing about watching the poor girl sleep – something that made me catch some hellacious giggles. Edward said her sleeping wasn't nearly as fascinating as mine because _she _didn't talk in her sleep. Silly, handsome thing looked rather proud of that declaration.

But it was Esme that said for Archie to wait until the next day. So...he was waiting. Impatiently, at that.

Alice dropped her magazine to her lap, and I looked over at her on the chaise from my bed. Her sad smile was soft, her eyes meeting mine.

"He reminds me so much of Edward," she said softly, getting up to plop down beside me. "The rapid decisions, the panic, the doubt in himself." She leaned over and kissed the side of my head. "I tried to tell Edward back then – even _show_ him – just how wonderful it would turn out, but he wasn't convinced. I wanted to shake the shit out of him."

Grinning, I shook my head. "Yes, well... Didn't we all? But he eventually saw reason. Archie will, too."

"I can't narrow anything down anymore," she sighed, her nose wrinkling. "That scares me. We were working with a touchy future to begin with."

"What do you see now?" I asked, sitting up, and we both shifted so that we were cross-legged, knees to knees, in the middle of my bed.

She frowned, letting out a deep breath. "I still see the same end result," she said cryptically, and I nodded in understanding that she still saw Caroline as one of us. "I also see her father coming. And I see two very important conversations. One is later...just before she leaves, and it's...tough. The other..." She stopped, staring at my wall with a blank expression. "The other conversation will happen in five minutes and twenty-three seconds. She's about to wake up. She's going to wander into the kitchen."

She said the last part just loud enough so that everyone in the house heard her. Carlisle and Esme came in from deck, telling the boys that they'd be in their room if needed. Jasper and Edward both gave Archie calm reassurance that he'd be fine, that he should just feign insomnia for now. Unfortunately, we had to maintain that the entire house was asleep, aside from Archie, so he had no choice but to brave a moment with Caroline on his own.

Jasper and Edward walked into the room. Edward dropped a heavy kiss to my lips before sitting down behind me. Jasper took the chaise, and Alice joined him. We wanted to be able to hear Archie, make sure he was okay. If he truly needed us, then we'd go to him.

Caroline's heartbeat sped up and then sputtered. She gasped awake, and I could imagine that she was a little out of sorts as to where she was. Her footsteps were tentative, but she made her way up out of Archie's basement bedroom and through the library. When she reached the living room, she gasped.

"Oh, I didn't think anyone would be up," she said.

"Did the TV wake you? I'm sorry..." Archie started, but she interrupted him.

"No, no... Not at all. I had a dream."

I frowned, wondering what she was dreaming that woke her up in the middle of the night. I certainly could relate. My dreams as a human were...colorful, at best.

"She was dreaming of this house," Edward told us.

"Makes sense," Jasper stated with a shrug.

"I just wanted some water," she murmured.

I heard the shifting around downstairs, and the TV went silent.

"I'll get it for you. Please, sit," he offered.

"Slower, Archie," Edward advised softly, knowing Caroline couldn't hear.

I covered my mouth when a soft curse hissed out of our really nervous friend downstairs, but at least it was coming from the kitchen as he pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge. God, he was so damned nervous, but he was doing really well.

When he made it back into the living room, she thanked him and then asked, "Can't sleep?"

"I don't sleep much," he lied smoothly, huffing a laugh at himself.

Edward hid his smile against my shoulder but otherwise stayed quiet as his fingers slowly turned my wedding ring. The living room was so very quiet, except for the sound of Caroline's nervous heart.

"Where..."

"Why'd you..."

They both spoke at the same time, and Alice and I grinned at each other from across the room.

"Please, go ahead," Archie urged. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

His manners, his soft tone, and his gratefulness to her for starting a conversation sounded so much like Edward that I giggled softly, squeaking when my husband's teeth met the side of my neck.

"Shut it, beautiful," he growled low, which caused our siblings to laugh.

"Well, I was going to ask where you were from. You know, before you joined this family," she told him softly.

"I was...alone for a long time," he told her. "But I'm from here. Umm, Maine."

"Was it hard going from being alone to being with..." She huffed a laugh. "I still can't believe there's nine of you."

Archie chuckled, and it was real and sweet. It showed that some of his nerves had left him. "It was...an adjustment. But this family is extraordinary. There's nothing they wouldn't do for me."

I curled into Edward, hearing the complete and utter truth in Archie's words. Strong arms wrapped around me as we continued to listen.

"You'll meet the rest tomorr... Um, later today," he told her. "They'll be back around noon, I think."

That part was true. Carlisle had called Emmett to let him know that the initial meeting went okay between Caroline and Archie and that they could come home.

"That's cool," Caroline said softly. "I'm sorry. What were you going to ask me?"

Archie inhaled anxiously, but he spoke quickly. "I was going to ask why you ran away."

"I didn't..." She huffed harshly and then groaned. "Okay, maybe I _did_ run away. It's just that... Did you ever get the feeling that you were being lied to? Like nothing about your own life is real?"

"Sometimes," he answered carefully, slowly.

"I feel like I wear a mask every day," she sighed, taking a sip of her water. "I don't remember this house much, but I remember when my mother disappeared. My dad was convinced that she'd left...or was taken. He wasn't sure, but I do remember that much. The police thought he'd done something to her, because they asked me a million questions. Then...one night...he just yanked me up out of bed, packed a few things, and then we left. We didn't take a thing with us, and we were in Ohio by the next day. My aunt and uncle live there. And I was happy there...until my dad started drinking. My uncle tried to help him, but nothing worked until Aunt Trish threatened to take me away from him. All of a sudden, we moved across the country."

"Maybe he was scared?" Archie suggested, and I wondered just how hard this conversation was for him. "Maybe he didn't want to lose you, too?"

"No, I get that, but he became irrational. He almost didn't let me go to school. He refused to live in any house – he insisted on apartments. He wanted people around. I wasn't allowed to do anything after school – no movies with friends, no trips to the mall...nothing. I felt..."

"Caged?" Archie supplied.

"Yeah. And I'm tired of it. Nothing he's ever told me was the truth – my mom, this house, why we moved...twice. I remember my mom being very mad at us. My dad and I were always close. Well, I was closer to him back then than her. I remember being slightly afraid of her because nothing I did was good enough. I'd hide when she and my dad started to fight. She was not happy about moving here. She liked Columbus." She paused for a few seconds, taking another sip of water. "But when my dad started to protest my going to college, that's when I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to see this place for myself. I needed to see what he was so afraid of, what made him practically scream at the poor police woman on the phone. It just never made any sense to me."

"Are you scared? Now? Here?" he asked her.

There was a heartbeat of a pause, but she huffed a laugh. "No. Why would I be? You guys have been great, considering I just...showed up on your doorstep like a lunatic."

Alice snickered. "I like her. She's...spunky."

"Seriously," I agreed with a nod.

Both boys chuckled at us, but it was Edward that piped up softly. "I honestly think that Archie was protecting that girl. He was just...going on blind instinct." We all nodded, but he went on. "And I truly think there's more to that day than even Archie remembers. He mentioned a phone call and threats of time out. I'd really love to know Tim's thoughts on that..."

"Are you worried about your dad coming?" Archie asked, and I could hear the protectiveness kick in again.

"No," she sighed. "Not really. Soon, he'll have no choice but to let me go. He'd never hurt me, if that's what you're asking. It's not like that. He'll yell, he'll ground me, but he's smothering me. I can't wait to move away."

"Won't you miss your home? Your friends? B-Boyfriend?" he asked her.

"Holy shit!" Alice and I squeaked together.

"Did he really just ask her if she was single?" Jasper asked, a tone of awe in his voice. "Fuckin'-A, Archie!"

Edward's head fell back with his silent laughter that shook us both and the bed.

"Shut up, Edward," I hissed, smacking at him. "He simply wanted to know where he stood."

"Sorry, baby," my Edward snorted, holding up his hands in order to fend off my not-so-punishing smacks to his chest.

"California doesn't feel like home to me," she answered, and we shut up in order to listen. "All my friends are going off to college, and no, no boyfriend. What about you?" Her heartbeat picked up just a little, but I could hear the insecurity in her voice.

"What about me...what?"

"Oh, Archie," Alice and I groaned together, smacking our foreheads. "She's flirting with you," we told him in unison, which simply pushed Jasper and Edward over the edge and started their silent laughter all over again.

"Oh!" Archie gasped, and I wasn't so sure that wasn't in answer to Alice and me. "Um...no. There's no one, and I have no plans for college right away."

I glared at the two boys in my room through narrowed eyes. If these two couldn't behave themselves, then Emmett and Kevin were going to be out of control. I sighed, poking Edward.

Caroline stifled a yawn, and I heard her finish her water and stand up from the sofa. "Thanks for the water."

"Anytime," Archie murmured. Before she'd taken four steps away from him, he called her back. "Hey, um...Caroline?"

"Hmm?" she hummed.

"What if... What if your dad had been right? What if there was something wrong with this house when you guys were living here?" he asked her, causing all of us to freeze. "I mean, stranger things have happened..."

Caroline laughed a little. "I don't know. I guess I'd need to see it to believe it. I'd be okay with it, I suppose. I miss having faith in him. He used to be my hero."

I frowned, looking to Jasper when sadness swept throughout the room. He grimaced, pushing out something lighter to counteract it.

"He _really_ needed that answer," Alice whispered so very softly, looking to Edward, who was nodding slowly.

"Good night, Archie," she told him.

"Good night."

All four of us left the bedroom and made our way downstairs once Caroline had closed herself up in Archie's room again. Alice and I fell down onto the sofa on either side of Archie, wrapping him up in a hug. Carlisle and Esme emerged from their bedroom. The pride we had for Archie was practically another entity in the room.

"Way to go, Mack Daddy," Jasper teased with a laugh, but Archie shot him a scathing look.

"Shut up," I snapped, turning to Archie. "How you doing, buddy?"

"I'm okay," he answered softly. "Does she feel this, too?"

"Yes," Edward, Jasper, and I answered at the same time.

"You feel it more...intensely than she does, but for her, it's overwhelming because humans can't process that many feelings all at once," I explained. "I imagine she's about to crawl out of her own skin right about now because you asked if she was single."

Edward chuckled, kissing the back of my head. "She's right, Archie. Right now, she's thinking of a million more questions for you."

Archie groaned, putting his face in his hands, and Alice and I rubbed his back sympathetically.

"You should hunt, Arch," Jasper advised.

"I just hunted a few days ago," Archie argued, glancing up at him.

"You should go again," Edward told him. "You can never be too careful, first of all. And second, you've been through an emotionally wild ride. It will help you stay clear-headed around her."

"Come, son," Carlisle told him. "We'll go with you."

Esme turned to the rest of us. "We'll be back in time to make Caroline some breakfast." We all groaned, knowing we had to pretend to eat, and she smirked. "I'm fairly certain that you'll all live."

I grimaced at the mere thought of having to get rid of whatever she planned on making. "Just...no milk, okay?" I requested as the nightmarish memory of Truth or Dare came back to me of having to down a gallon of the putrid substance.

Esme shot me a wink before she turned to leave. "We'll see."

The muttered complaints aimed her way went ignored because she had already left us.

~oOo~

I stared glassy-eyed at the computer screen. Alice and I were pretending to do school work in the library. Jasper and Edward were playing softly on their guitars – also an attempt to feign school, but it was simply the extra-curricular music portion. It wasn't fair, but since neither Alice nor I played a single instrument, we were stuck writing an essay on ancient Egyptian myths.

Once Esme, Carlisle, and Archie had returned from their hunt, Esme had kicked into mother mode. She'd made a fairly large, though easy enough breakfast to fake eating, and then told us to start our home-school work. Caroline had been intrigued, but she sat with Esme and Carlisle for a bit as they talked about her father's flight information.

My gaze slipped slowly from the boring story behind the god Horace to the magnificence of Edward lost in his music. He was sitting on the edge of the piano bench with the acoustic guitar he'd bought for himself while he was away from me on his lap. Long, talented fingers worked out a soothing melody that harmonized perfectly with whatever Jasper was playing. It most likely was being made up right there on the spot, and as always, it was beautiful. A dark curl fell to the middle of his forehead as he concentrated, his tongue flickered out to drag across his bottom lip, and the muscles in his forearms flexed with every string plucked.

Darkening honey eyes snapped to meet mine. I half-expected him to tease me about daydreaming, but his face was sympathetic.

_I miss touching you,_ I thought to him with a frown and a deep sigh, forcing my gaze back to the computer. _Sorry, Edward. That sounds selfish, doesn't it? Archie needs us._

My eyes flickered to the opposite side of the room, where Archie was on his e-reader, though I was damn certain he wasn't processing a single word, because Caroline was pacing outside on her phone. She was having a long chat with her cousin, Tiffany, and poor Archie was the top subject. Caroline was currently telling her cousin that Archie was cute and sweet, that he was so very shy. And that maybe pissing her dad off had been worth it.

Locking gazes with Edward again, I thought, _Dear God...how did you not go crazy at Forks High?!_

Edward grinned, shook his head, and then shrugged his shoulders. He looked amused yet so very proud. I drank in the delicious sight of his neck that peeked out the collar of his button-down shirt and sloped gracefully up to his sharp jaw line. I licked my lips, wanting to taste that small bit of skin and sighing that I couldn't do a thing about it. He shifted in his seat a little, still playing the damn guitar without missing a note, but his eyes swirled darker and darker as my thoughts got away from me.

When I focused on his hands and all the carnal knowledge that they contained, a loud zinging pop echoed through the room.

_Oops!_ I gasped, my mouth hanging open as Edward glared at the broken string of his guitar. _Shit, baby... I'm so sorry..._

With that last thought to him, I slammed my shield down around me. It was probably for the best – at least until I could clear my mind.

"Dammit," Edward groaned, but there was a chuckle laced in there at the same time.

Jasper laughed. "Want me to fix it?"

"No, I'll do it," my husband sighed, shooting me a fierce yet adorable look. "Dangerous creature," he muttered before getting up to get a pack of spare strings from the cabinet.

As cute as he was when he was irritated, the sound of Caroline's voice called all of our attention out the window.

"No, no! I don't want to talk to your mom, Tiff!" She groaned, rolling her eyes. "Hey, Aunt Trish," she sighed in defeat, her shoulders slumping.

We all flinched at the sound of a woman's voice echoing through the phone. She yelled about irresponsibility, stupid decisions, scaring the living shit out of people, and the possibility of her getting killed. In all reality, Aunt Trish was right; _anything_ could've happened to Caroline on her trip to Maine. The tirade continued at a steady pace, not allowing the poor girl to say a word, and I could smell her tears beginning to well up, even from where I was sitting.

"Aw, damn," I sighed, frowning at her bravely wiping them away. "You know, it's kinda not fair... She survived the entire trip here without a single incident. If that had been me..." I snorted, rolling my eyes. "I couldn't even go to a Port Angeles bookstore without getting into trouble."

Alice, Jasper, and Edward laughed, but Archie stayed quiet. His smile curled the corners of his mouth, but I could tell he was itching to go to her. Caroline's crying was getting to him as she tried to plead her case to her aunt.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Trish!" she sobbed, trying to take a deep breath. "I'm so tired of it. He's been lying to me my whole life. I just... I needed to know!"

"You could've talked to me about it, kiddo," her aunt said on the other end, but all the wind had left her sails. The sympathy was coming through her voice loud and clear. "We could've gone. I'd have taken you. We could've made it a girls weekend while you were here. We're not all against you."

Caroline didn't say anything to that but hung her head as she kept the phone up to her ear.

"Ah, Carrie...you have to hang in there," she continued softly. "It's just a couple more months of school, and then you'll head off to college. I know you can do this. Your dad is frantic that you're all grown up, but to be honest, it's time for him to move on. He's been so focused on you all these years that he's forgotten how to live his own life."

Caroline nodded but stayed quiet.

"You're his whole world, kiddo," she sighed.

"I know. But there's more out there than just me."

"That's very true. Is he still pushing that poor woman away?" Aunt Trish asked.

"Mel? Melanie's great. Yeah, he won't even consider it," Caroline told her. "And she likes him a lot."

Aunt Trish let out a deep breath over the line. "Look, Carrie, I'll see if your Uncle Jack can talk to him about lightening up a bit once you're back home, but this... This thing you did... You have to face the consequences. You still live under his roof. He still clothes you, feeds you, keeps you safe, and he's about to put you through school. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," Caroline muttered, her brow furrowing.

Caroline stood still right off the deck after she ended the call with her aunt. Once she'd shoved her phone into the pocket of the jeans I'd loaned her, she made her way back inside. My eyes glanced over to Archie, who was staring blindly at the e-reader in his hand. However, there was nothing going to stop him from looking up at Caroline once she made it into the library.

"You okay?" he asked her because her eyes were still a little red from crying.

She huffed humorlessly. "I'm in trouble with everyone in my family."

"You _are_ five states away from where you should be," Alice pointed out with a sly grin. "And you didn't tell anyone anything."

Caroline grimaced but nodded, taking a seat in the chair across from Archie. "I know. It was stupid, but I don't think anyone gets it."

"I used to think that way," Archie said softly, shrugging a shoulder. "I've found that no matter how strange something sounds in your head, there's always someone that..._gets it_. Even if they don't completely understand, they at least won't judge you on it."

My eyebrows shot up, and I tossed a quick glance to Edward, who was looking at our quiet friend with sympathy and warmth. Caroline's face blushed crimson as she gazed at Archie, her heartbeat picking up a bit, and she nodded once before giving the library a long, slow glance.

She got up from her chair, trailing a finger along the many spines of books that lined the walls. "I remember this room," she said softly. "I remember liking the smell of it and how comfortable it was. The furniture is different, of course, but still... The smell is the same."

"Like old leather and paper," I added with a smirk, because I felt the same way about that room...or any room Carlisle stored his many books.

"Yeah, I love that smell," Caroline mused, turning just enough so that I could see her grin.

"Ugh, you and Bella..." Alice scoffed, waving a hand at both of us. "Give me the smell of the mall any day."

"Shut up," I snorted, shoving my grinning sister a bit.

"Oh, I like the mall, too," Caroline said with a giggle. "But this room...it always seemed to calm me when my parents were fighting. I felt...protected."

My eyes shot to Archie, who was watching her quietly from his chair. I wondered briefly if Caroline had felt the calm back then simply because Archie was residing in the room right below it. I wondered if they'd had a small connection even back then. And from the look on Edward's and Jasper's faces, I would say my guess was the same as theirs.

Caroline continued to move throughout the room, her eyes grazing over Emmett's drums, Edward's piano, and finally, all the guitars on the wall. She turned to look at the two boys that still had two of those guitars in their hands, though Edward was slowly restringing his.

Edward looked up at her as he turned the tuner on the end. "Do you play?"

Caroline snorted, shaking her head with a furrowed brow. "No, not at all. I had a friend try to teach me once, but I was terrible. I couldn't get my hands to work right," she said, trailing a finger along the smooth wood of Edward's blue acoustic hanging on the wall. It was the one I'd made him buy in New York. "These are really pretty, though."

"Thank you. And playing guitar is unnatural for your hands, anyway," Edward stated. I fought my smile, because he couldn't resist talking music...with anyone. He picked a few notes on the one on his lap, looking up at her. "It's not a normal position to put them in. And it seems backwards. If you're right handed, you'd think that would be the hand you'd use to make the chords, but it's the opposite, actually. Most every other instrument is easier."

"Ed says that because he plays more than one instrument," Jasper teased, shoving his brother's shoulder. "Show off..."

"I'm not showing off!" Edward snapped, rolling his eyes. "I was simply agreeing with her!"

"Well, you should show off, Edward. You're very talented," I said calmly, though my smile at the two of them could not be contained. When he glanced up at me, I pointed to the piano, letting him in my thoughts again. _Play for me, baby. Please?_

Edward looked defeated, but he wove his pick through three strings of his guitar, sliding it all the way up to the neck so it stayed there. After hanging the natural wood instrument back up on the wall in its correct space, he sat back down in front of the piano.

I couldn't stop my proud smile if I tried as the notes wafted throughout the room. He started with "Fur Elise." I wasn't sure Beethoven himself could've played it better, and I giggled silently when Edward's amused face turned my way. The words, "You're so biased, Bella," were written all over his face as he continued to play flawlessly. His fingers flew over the keys, and Caroline sat down next to me to listen.

"Wow," she breathed, looking between Alice and me.

I laughed softly. "Yeah."

The sound of a car's engine met my ears, which meant the rest of our siblings were back home. Just as Edward ended the song, the front doors blew open, causing Caroline to jump.

"Ooh, she's a little runaway!" Emmett sang loudly. "Daddy's girl learned fast...all those things he couldn't say... Oooh-ooh...she's a little runaway!"

"Emmett, shut up!" Edward and Jasper snapped at the same time.

"So where is she?" our biggest brother boomed, stepping into the room with an arm around Rose's shoulders. Right behind him were Kevin and Adrian – hand in hand.

Suddenly, Archie was up and out of his chair, though luckily, he remembered to move slower. But he walked to Emmett, wearing a scowl. "Well, if you'd settle down and quit scaring her, you'd see she's right there. Damn!"

My family froze, but Emmett swung his grinning face to Edward, who was extremely amused. Archie was protecting her.

"You _have _to be Emmett," Caroline said, laughing a little, but I watched as she noted his arm draped across Rose's shoulders.

"My reputation precedes me, yeah?" he asked her, wearing his biggest grin.

"You could say that," she shot right back at him. "Carlisle told me to ignore anything you say, that your mouth has a tendency to write checks your butt can't cash."

The whole room exploded into laughter.

"Nice!" I laughed, placing a hand on her shoulder as Emmett muttered something about having a conversation with Dad. "Caroline, this is the rest of us. Emmett, obviously. Then there's Rosalie, Kevin, and Adrian."

Rose smiled tightly, not because she didn't like the girl, but she was always a little standoffish when it came to meeting new people. Adrian waved and greeted her calmly as he took a seat across from us. But Kevin came and plopped down on my other side.

"It's nice to meet you," Kevin said politely, eying the girl up, but she smiled at him. He turned to me. "Did you miss me, Goddess?" he asked sadly, though dramatically.

"I did," I told him, leaning into his kiss to my cheek. "Did you guys have fun?"

"The band was _okay_," Adrian murmured, shrugging a shoulder.

"Yeah, Heavy E and the boys are better and a helluva lot sexier," Kevin said, jerking a thumb behind him toward Edward and our brothers. He grinned, shooting Edward a big grin and a wink.

I could've kissed Kevin. Honestly. He had a way of outing himself without saying the words, without making it an issue. And he did it most times daring someone to have a problem with it, but usually just to answer that unasked question. Realization crossed over Caroline's features, and she smirked as she watched Kevin. I liked that she wasn't stupid or shy. And I really loved to watch that no matter who was in the room, her eyes always made their way right back to Archie, who was shifting nervously from one foot to the other.

"And the fact that you play with them now..." Alice said with a giggle.

"Increases the sexy factor ten-fold, Princess," Kevin snorted. "You should know these statistics. Damn!"

"As you can see, Kevin is our modest one," I told Caroline.

"Pfft, whatever," Kevin scoffed, getting up to sit beside Adrian.

I could see Caroline working it out because her eyes flickered around the room one more time.

My eyes locked with Edward's. _She knows, right? Or she thinks she knows. That we're all coupled off. Did we forget to tell Emmett?_

Edward nodded once but turned to the doorway when Esme walked in.

"Ah, you're all back," she said, kissing Rose's cheek and then Emmett's. She walked to Kevin and Adrian and did the same, but asked, "Did you guys have fun? And did you meet Caroline?"

"We did," Adrian answered her. "Both."

"Good, but I missed you," she told them firmly before kissing their foreheads.

I smiled but caught sight of Caroline watching Esme with an unreadable expression on her face. There was an underlying sadness in her blue eyes, and my heart went out to her. Esme was the epitome of _Mom_. It oozed from her, seeped out into the room like a comforting blanket. It wrapped around all of us, making us feel welcomed, wanted, loved. For Caroline, I could imagine that it was a shock to the system. It had been for me, coming from living with Renee, who wasn't exactly the motherly type. Caroline, having no mother at all, must've been in shock or jealous. I couldn't tell which.

The girl jumped a little when Esme turned her eye on her. "Sweetheart, if you're hungry, I can make you something."

The vampires in the room grumbled at a volume that poor Caroline couldn't hear, and it made me smile.

"I should check in with my dad," she replied softly and nervously. "He wanted to hear from me..."

"Go ahead." I nudged her, smiling a little. "I'll make lunch. Spaghetti, okay?" I offered because I knew that whoever had to sit with us at the table could push spaghetti around to make it look like it was disappearing.

"Whatever is fine. Beggars can't be choosers," she said with a snort.

Esme scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You are no beggar, Caroline. Come, we'll call your dad from Carlisle's office. It'll give you some privacy – something I imagine you haven't had much of in this house."

Caroline laughed, but her eyes fell to Archie. "It's okay. I like the company."

"Trust me, you'll be begging for silence by the time your dad gets here." I grinned, ducking pillows and wadded up papers aimed my way when I stood up. "Whatever!"

Caroline giggled and followed Esme into the master bedroom. I was right behind them, rolling my eyes at the razzing poor Archie was taking from Emmett and Kevin about the girl's last statement. Poor things, both of them.

Once I was in the kitchen, I suddenly found myself lifted and planted on top of the counter with a dark-eyed Edward pressing himself between my legs with a finger up to his lips.

"You were killing me in there earlier," he barely breathed, pressing his forehead to mine, but his eyes closed, those long, dark, beautiful eyelashes resting against his skin.

_Then shut the hell up and kiss me, Edward!_ I thought to him as my hands slipped up his neck and into his hair while I couldn't help but lick my lips.

With a deep, guttural, masculine moan, Edward's lips met mine in a frenzy. It was sweeps of wet lips, swirling, desperate tongues, and light scrapes of teeth. Edward turned his head, deepening the kiss, but also pressing his hips harder against mine. My legs wrapped around his waist, digging my heels into that rock-hard ass of his, simply to bring him that much closer. We both moaned softly at the contact.

_Fuck, baby...you're hard already!_ I panted, pulling back to look at him.

He could only nod as his eyes squeezed closed and his breathing was heavy. His eyes opened to reveal black fire and want and a barely controlled need. His beautiful face was pained, but a smile curled his lips up at the corners.

"I can't help it," he whispered almost silently as his lips met the soft skin just behind my ear.

_I know, handsome. And believe me, I want to take care of you, but..._

He groaned, his whole body wrapping around me in defeat. "I know," he sighed as his forehead fell to my shoulder. His hard grasp on my hips left me so that he could brace his hands on either side of my legs on the counter.

Pulling back, he nuzzled my nose with his own, up one side and down the other. "I love you."

I smiled like I always did when he said those words. "I love you, too, Edward. But I have to get started on lunch."

He grinned, huffing a frustrated laugh. "Thanks for that, by the way, my beautiful girl. You're a lifesaver. Esme was thinking salad and just...no. It's like chewing grass or leaves or something."

Giggling, I leaned in and kissed his exposed neck, that part of his skin that I'd been eying earlier. "You'll have to owe me one, Cullen."

He chuckled, and it vibrated against my lips. "A debt I'd gladly pay."

He became very still, turning his head just a little. The sound of a heavy, human heartbeat entered the room, and his hands went to my waist to help me down. His lips pressed to my forehead as I realized we were being watched.

_So I'm assuming it's okay to be more than...siblings,_ I teased him with a poke to his chest.

"Yes," he breathed against my skin. "And...I have to...do _something_ outside for a minute."

He grinned, but his face was a touch embarrassed as I noticed my sweet, loving Edward was still very much aroused. Muttering under his breath, "Dangerous creature," he walked out the back deck doors.

Glancing up briefly, I saw Caroline standing there, but I reached for the sauce pan and started to make lunch.

"Sorry," she whispered, giving the back door a curious look.

I laughed. "Don't be."

"You're together," she stated. "I noticed in there..." She jerked a thumb behind her. When I nodded, she asked, "Do your parents know?"

"Yeah," I sighed, starting a pot of water for the pasta. "It's not something we advertise, but yeah. I know it seems strange, but it is what it is. We can't help it," I told her honestly with a shrug and a smile. "And it simply worked out that way."

"No, no... I'm... I mean, I don't care," she corrected quickly. "I think it's great. You get to be together all the time."

I laughed, giving her a glance. Her face was open and honest. "We do. And he's my best friend, too, so it's great."

I stirred the sauce as she leaned against the counter, twisting her fingers together.

"And Archie?" she asked in a whisper, meeting my gaze nervously.

"No...he's alone." I smiled at her. "You like him," I stated, noting that her heartbeat had picked up a bit. Plus, I was hoping my shy friend was listening.

"He's really sweet...and shy." She looked at her hands and back up to me. "And cute!"

Giggling, I nodded. "He is all of those things."

"He doesn't talk much," she said with a frown.

"No, he's nervous. You'll have to forgive him that. It is a result of his...history," I explained as carefully as I could. "I imagine he'll start to relax around you soon. Maybe we can do something as a group to take the edge off. Not that there's a lot to do around here."

Her eyes widened, but she merely nodded. "So where are you from?"

I smiled, continuing to make sure my sauce wasn't sticking. "Washington State. A small town called Forks. That was where I met this family. Though, Archie, Kevin, and Adrian weren't with us yet. Alice, Edward, and I were in some of the same classes. Edward and I... Well, we were instantly inseparable."

I didn't want to go into the whys and details of how I became a member of the family. The explanation for the public were mostly lies that was laced with a touch of truth. Caroline deserved the real story, but not just yet.

"Everyone here has their own story," I told her simply, shrugging a shoulder. "Carlisle and Esme have been amazing to us."

"I can see that," Caroline replied. "Here, let me help you."

We worked silently in the kitchen for a few minutes. She drained the pasta while I pulled down plates. I knew Edward and my siblings were dreading this, but they had no choice at all. We couldn't not eat in front of her. There were several "teenage" boys in the house that looked to the outside world like they could eat a horse. Caroline didn't need to know that they'd actually _prefer_ a damn horse to spaghetti.

The thought caused me to snort, especially when Edward's deep laughter met my ears from the front door as he came back inside.

Once I called everyone to the table, Emmett sat down with a grin. Smacking his hands onto the table, he boomed, "So...let's talk movies tonight!"

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

_Edward Cullen!_

I flinched at the sound of my full name, and if it hadn't sounded so damned desperate, I would've laughed. I couldn't help it; I wanted my wife. And after having been denied her for the past few days, I was going to go crazy if something didn't give. Soon. Between staying up to keep Archie company overnight and pretending that we were siblings in front of Caroline, there had been no alone time for just the two of us.

It didn't help that we were in a dark, cool theater, that we were huddled down in our seats, and that I'd lifted the armrest between us. Closer. I needed her closer, but I knew I was throwing kerosene onto an already large fire. I'd touched, kissed, teased, and finally, pushed Bella too far.

I groaned, my head falling back to the headrest behind me. Rubbing my face with both hands, I sank my fingers into my hair in frustration.

_Edward, baby...look at me_, Bella thought to me. Rolling my head to face her, I saw that she was mirroring my position. _I'm so sorry. Not here. Not now. Please? We have to pay attention. Archie's counting on us._

I knew all of that, of course. And I knew that on top of that, Bella didn't want anything to happen in a disgusting movie theater. Neither did I, really, but it was hard to resist her smell, her reactions to everything I did, and it was nearly impossible to keep my hands off her, especially when she nonchalantly trailed her fingers along the skin of my arm. It set me on fire, though I was pretty sure it wouldn't have taken much.

I'd watched as Carlisle had lost himself to Esme so many years ago. He'd honestly thought he'd never see her again, but she'd showed up, nearly dead, and he had to have her. I remembered Rose pleading, sobbing, begging for Carlisle to save the large man she'd barely saved from a grizzly. She'd practically ripped me apart during Emmett's change. And the day that Alice and Jasper had joined us... There was a connection between those two that was so deep, so pure that it was impossible not to see. I remembered my mated family through a haze of jealousy and confusion.

And then came my Bella. She flashed into my life like a shooting star, and through ups, downs, victories, horrible mistakes...she was mine, and she was mine _forever_. I was aware that all the decisions I'd made concerning her were made through the same haze of confusion. That I'd never _truly_ understood just what finding my mate meant. Those were my mistakes. And my sweet girl never gave them much thought – something that made me love her that much more.

I'd barely paid that much attention to Kevin and Adrian's mating. We'd been at war with Tanya at the time, and despite how I'd counseled Kevin along his journey, the two of them made their own way without much trouble once Kevin had become immortal. Despite Kevin's love for us, he and Adrian had learned to lean on Marcus for their beginnings.

But watching Archie was amazing to me. I wasn't sure if it was the fact that we were practically the same immortal age, that we'd been born during the same era, or that he was just as insecure and worried as I'd been, but _something_ about it all was interesting to me. And humorous, if I were to be honest. I'd been through it, suffered the heartache, and struggled to find the words to say when that one girl looked at you like you hung the moon. And Caroline had a strength inside of her that I wasn't even sure she was aware of because she guided him in the smallest of ways, even after only knowing him for two days.

Archie had been unsure about the movies, but then again, he didn't want to miss out. Caroline had merely asked him if he was joining us, and he gave in. There was no panic, no balking, no wavering. She was just outgoing enough to keep him talking, and _that_ was a feat in and of itself. He was used to staying quiet, but she wouldn't let him. After Bella had explained to her that it was Archie's past that made him introverted, Caroline had made the decision to keep him talking. She was unsure of the future, but she knew that once college started, she'd be close enough to do something about the feelings that had come on so strongly about the beautiful, quiet boy she was trying so hard to get to know. That was her goal.

Unfortunately, Alice's vision, no matter what decisions were made, stayed strong and true: Caroline would be one of us by the summer.

I sighed deeply, ignoring the end of the movie on the large screen. My eyes were only on my Bella. All of this, and the memories that came with it, made me want her with a need that I couldn't stop. I wanted to worship her, thank God for her, and beg her to never, ever stop touching me. I needed it more that I'd ever needed anything. And I wasn't sure why. There was a part of me that found it ironic. We couldn't be together like that, so therefore, the denial made the need stronger. Like reverse psychology.

Bella didn't say anything. She simply ran her fingers through my hair, her deep, fathomless brown eyes drinking in every inch of my face, but they were filled with understanding. Her mind was a soothing chant of vows and promises of "soon" and "not long," along with calming mantras of sympathy and so, so much love. But laced between all of that were her own desires. I'd seen them in the library earlier, and they'd only increased as the hours had ticked away.

"I want you," I barely said aloud through gritted teeth. "I can't apologize for that."

She smiled, soft and sweet. _Nor would I ever want you to. Maybe when we get home, we'll go for a hunt, hmm?_

I was nodding fervently before the thought ever finished, which made my girl giggle softly.

"It's a date, handsome. Hang in there, okay?" she asked, glancing up as the credits finally rolled on whatever hellacious romantic comedy we'd been forced to watch. "Thank God that's over."

Laughing, I stood up, offering her my hand as the lights came up a bit in the theater. The large group of us had taken up almost two rows in the theater. Thankfully, Emmett had been at the opposite end of the row. Otherwise, he would have never let me live it down that I couldn't keep my hands to myself. I'd hate to see Bella ruin him in public.

We made our way out into the main corridor of the multi-screen cinema and out toward the front doors.

"I'll be right out," Caroline told us, gesturing to the restroom.

"We'll come with you," Bella offered, leaning into the kiss I placed against her temple before letting go of her hand.

"We'll be outside, love," I told her, smiling when she nodded.

Bella, my sisters, and Caroline disappeared into the very busy ladies' room, but Emmett led us outside into the drizzly night, past large groups of teens gathered here and there, and down several steps to the sidewalk, where we leaned against a concrete planter to wait.

Jasper was quiet, though he kept shooting glances toward Archie, Emmett was people watching, Kevin and Adrian were deep in a conversation about the actors in the movie we'd just seen, but my hand landed on Archie's shoulder.

"You okay?" I asked, because his eyes were locked onto the theater's front doors and his mind was filled with worry.

"Is it crazy that I'm worried about being just this far away?" he asked me, but all of us answered him.

"No."

Adrian gazed at him with sympathy. "It doesn't help that she's human, buddy. You're worried even more. It's okay. They're so fragile," he said, smiling Kevin's way.

I huffed a laugh through my nose. "That's very true. Plus, your need to protect her at all costs doesn't help. It only makes it worse."

Emmett chuckled, but it wasn't at Archie, just simply at the situation due to its familiarity. "Eddie here was convinced that Bells would get struck by lightning or a meteor would suddenly crash down on Earth...right on top of her. Bears, wolves, a wet spot on the floor. It all posed a threat. It was funny, but then...it wasn't. You know what I'm sayin', pal? We tried to help him out, but in reality, it's a true fear – something happening to your mate. And by the way, you're doing awesome, dude."

We all nodded in agreement, but Jasper spoke up softly, saying, "Your control around her impresses me, Arch. Well done."

Archie gazed down at his feet in embarrassment of the praise but nodded twice.

"I'm not so sure that's not a part of mating with a human," Adrian mused, rubbing his chin as his brow furrowed. "I mean, I was only a year old when I met Kev. His blood didn't bother me as much as some others."

"I wasn't so lucky," I sighed, smiling sadly. "Bella's blood was...strong. It called to me at first. Not until I came back to her was I able to ignore it."

"But you'd accepted everything by then, Heavy E," Kevin added, though his voice was soothing. "Maybe there are several factors we're not accounting for when it comes to finding your mate while they're still human." He held up his fingers, ticking off his points. "No fear, slightly more observant, and the blood doesn't seem as strong."

"Maybe," Jasper mused, his eyes faraway as he thought it over. When he looked to me, he asked, "What about Carlisle? You ever ask him what Esme's blood did to him? You know...that first time?"

I shook my head. "No. But I suppose we could ask him. He'd find this conversation fascinating."

"Hey!" Bella sang as she, Alice, and Rose stood with three girls I recognized.

Tara, Lacey, and Faith smiled at Bella and my sisters. It seemed they were there to see the next showing of the movie we'd just watched, so the girls were giving them a rundown on it – the actor was cute, but the story was just okay. The big kiss was amazing, but the humor was silly.

Chuckling, I shook my head. Caroline was introduced, but she said she was going to join us down the stairs, and Alice told her they'd be right behind her. By the time Alice saw what was coming, it was too late, because it had nothing to do with decisions.

The steps were wet, and luckily, the area was mostly clear of movie goers. But Caroline lost her footing just about halfway down the twenty steps. Alice yelled at me via thoughts to stop Archie, but that was impossible, considering he'd moved way too fast, using his invisibility to get to Caroline.

"Aw, shit!" Emmett hissed, watching as Archie suddenly reappeared with his arms securely around Caroline before her head could come near the concrete.

It was the skidding van at Forks High all over again because I watched as Caroline's eyes narrowed in on Archie, her thoughts centered around how he'd been nowhere near her, but he was there, holding her. He'd saved her. And then there was sheer and utter panic at what he'd done that was coming from Archie. I sighed, seeing what was coming next as I took the steps at a human pace. Archie's panic turned into anger – mostly at himself.

"How'd you do that?" she whispered to him.

"Do what?" he snapped through gritted teeth.

"You... You were down there. Now you're here."

I groaned, shaking my head at him, because Alice saw it all. Caroline was just about figure out there truly was something different about us – mainly, Archie. I tried to tell him silently to just shut up, but he couldn't take his eyes off her. He eyed her warily, his nostrils flaring at how he'd messed up. The lie he was about to spew wouldn't work. And I should know.

"I was standing right here." He pointed to the ground, but she was already shaking her head.

Bella, Alice, and Rose made their way to us, wrapping Caroline up.

"You okay?" Bella asked her, her eyes locking with mine. _Oh fuck,_ she thought in a panic.

I wanted to laugh at her language, but I couldn't. I was thinking the same damn thing.

"Yeah, Archie stopped me from getting hurt," Caroline stated, but she frowned when Archie wouldn't meet her gaze.

"Well, you were very lucky," Alice soothed, looking to me. _He withdraws, Edward. You have to talk to him!_

Nodding that I'd heard her, I sighed deeply, running a hand through my hair. Turning to Emmett, I said, "Call Carlisle. This is... He'll need to know this. Tell him to meet us at the house," I told him, knowing that Carlisle had been working at the local hospital because one of his patients had given birth. "This will have huge consequences. Alice has seen it."

"Sure, bro. Got it," Emmett said seriously, pulling out his phone.

Squeezing Archie's shoulder, I led him to the parking lot. "Calm down. You did the right thing, you hear me?"

Archie nodded, but his thoughts were frantic and disbelieving. I glanced across everyone to meet Bella's gaze, sighing in frustration and sympathy, because I knew this was going to be a long night.

* * *

**A/N... So Archie and Caroline have started talking, but then...she goes and tries to bust her ass on the concrete steps. These two are surrounded by every type of knowledge concerning mates. Adrian and Edward both mated with humans, so they have a wealth of information to offer.**

**Song added to the playlist:**

"**Runaway" by Bon Jovi... I could just see Emmett bellowing out this song without shame.**

**My amazing beta, JenRar, wrote a fuck-hot one shot over the holiday. If you haven't checked it out...it's on my favorites list. Go read "Determined Heart" – an 18-yr-old Bella in love with her 28-yr-old teacher, and he's just...GAH! O.o Holy hell!**

**Okay, so chapter 31 is done, so posting will be on schedule for Sunday! :) I know you can't wait to see the repercussions of this night at the movies. I think you'll be surprised. ;) Until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N... Hey guys! All of you had me LOLing at your sympathy of poor, cock-blocked Edward. XD And I loved that you can see some similarities between Edward and Bella and Archie and Caroline. They are the same in SOME ways.**

**I want to remind some of you that the mention of Bella's book _Forever_ is really _Twilight_. Just like Edward's journal was _Midnight Sun._ Okay? That comes into play.**

**I want to tell you that this chapter comes with a LEMON WARNING. Really, you must know by now that Edward ALWAYS gets his way! ;)**

**I'll let you get on with it. See me at the bottom...**

* * *

Chapter 31

**EDWARD**

"Hey, Archie?" Caroline called softly once we'd all piled out of the cars at home.

"What?" he snapped, unable to look her in the eye, but he flinched when Bella growled low right behind him. He sighed in defeat when Emmett's heavy hand landed on his shoulder. Archie gave in, finally meeting her worried gaze. "Yes?"

"Um, th-thank you," she said softly, allowing Rose and Alice to guide her inside the house.

The very second the door was closed, Bella spun Archie around to face her. "It won't work, Archie. This...angry, pushing her away thing. She already knows you're lying. I can see it in her eyes," she sneered.

"I messed up! I know!" he argued back to her.

"So?" Bella countered and then pointed a finger in his face. "She's your mate, Archie. You might as well face it. But lying to her isn't the best course of action. She's been lied to enough already by everyone else she knows."

I grimaced, but my girl had a point. Actually, she had several points. Caroline _could_ tell Archie was lying because he was terrible at it. She just didn't know why he was lying about where he'd been standing when she started to fall. And she was incredibly hurt by his cold demeanor since the whole thing had happened.

Sighing, I clawed at my hair, looking to Bella. Damn it, she was beautiful when she was angry, which wasn't helping how badly I wanted her, and her warning glare to me told me more than her mind, but her thoughts were there anyway.

_And don't you dare apologize for that stupid van..._

I fought my smile and won, simply pulling her to me. "Bella, calm down, sweet girl. We'll figure it out."

She huffed, but Jasper helped me out. Her eyes locked back onto a very nervous Archie, who was hating that she was mad at him, but he was mad at himself more. "She'll figure out the truth, Archie. I can hear her asking now. She should hear it from you, and you know it."

Everyone around us agreed with her. It would be better if the truth came from Archie.

"She'll hate me, Bella!" Archie suddenly yelled, stepping forward.

"Archie, I'm going to ask you _once_ to watch your step," I snarled, unable to control my instinct to protect Bella, no matter if she was able to defend herself or not.

Archie instantly backed down, but he was still seething.

"You don't know that until you try," Bella stated calmly, though it was through gritted teeth.

"Enough!" Carlisle snapped, having walked from the back of the house. "Bella, come here." He waved her forward and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Sweetheart, I need you to settle down because you're the only one that will truly understand what that girl is feeling. I need you to go talk to her, see if she really is starting to question things."

"Wouldn't Edward—"

"I need _you_," Carlisle stated firmly, giving a glimpse my way. "The girl is drawn to you, Bella. Your shield is pulling her to you, and you know it. She'll open up to you because you'll know what questions to ask."

In reality, he needed me with Archie – he'd told me so in his mind – but he was convinced Bella could read people just as well. The fact that she was spot on with how Caroline had reacted was enough encouragement for him.

"Okay," she sighed, shooting a scathing look to Archie before walking in the front door.

Carlisle's eyes looked to me, his mind filled with endless questions, but the most important, he spoke aloud. "Did anyone else see this incident?"

"No, sir," I answered. "Most of the humans had gone inside. The steps were clear, but they were wet. By the time Caroline had started down to where we were, Alice's vision came too late."

"Tara and her friends were there," Emmett added, "but the girls were talking to them, so they weren't facing our way. Archie's clear as far as that's concerned. But Caroline..."

"Right. I see." Carlisle mused, glancing up at me. _A bit of deja vu, son?_

"Funny, _Dad_," I muttered wryly.

He fought his smile, failing miserably, and then finally turned his ever-patient gaze on Archie. "Tell me what happened. I want your story."

"We were..." Archie sighed frustratedly, still trying to shake how angry he was that he'd messed up, but he respected Carlisle enough to not want to snap at him. "We were waiting outside for all the girls. They'd gone to the restroom with Caroline. When they came out, Bella, Alice, and Rose stopped to talk to those girls from town, but Caroline started down the steps. We'd just talked about how fragile she was..."

Carlisle shot a look to me, and I nodded, saying, "He was worried about her being out of his sight. We were trying to let him know that it was a natural feeling, especially when a human is involved."

"We didn't mean to make it worse," Adrian piped up, looking contrite as Kevin wrapped a loving arm around his shoulders. "He was just...concerned."

When Carlisle turned back to Archie, the nervous man continued. "I couldn't... I saw her start to slip. I didn't want her to get hurt, but I couldn't risk blood being spilled, either. I moved, and I guess when I moved, I went invisible. I know it was wrong. I know I shouldn't have done it, but I couldn't take that risk. There are nine of...us."

I wanted to laugh that the word "monster" crossed his mind, but the mood that Bella was in frightened him enough to censor it out of his story. At the time, I couldn't see what Archie's reasons were, but I could now. He was protecting her..._and_ himself. He didn't want to risk bloodlust, despite the theories we'd discussed just minutes prior to Caroline's fall.

"I told you that you did the right thing," I reiterated with a sigh. "Everyone here understands that. You lucked out that the only human that saw anything was Caroline."

Archie breathed heavily through his nose. "She leaves in two days," he practically growled, holding up two fingers. "I can't exactly tell her everything and then send her across the country."

Sighing, I gripped my hair, because he didn't know what Alice had seen. We didn't want him to know or worry or make any decisions that could drastically change everything. She saw that if Archie found out that Caroline was one of us, he'd snap. He needed to want her changed. In fact, she saw him beg Carlisle, but we still couldn't see why.

The one person that I didn't expect to speak suddenly piped up.

"I'll never understand this self-hatred bullshit," Kevin stated, shaking his head. "I just...don't get it. I mean, I understand that a lot of you had rough starts and terrible changes, but damn! That shit's over. You're here. You're surrounded by people that give a shit. Some of us didn't have human families that cared half as much as the people standing around us. And you sit there and act like finding your soul mate is the worse thing ever. Don't you want her? Don't you want to be with her? Or do you just want to wallow in misery for eternity?"

Archie glared at the ground, but Kevin stepped around him, heading for the front door of the house.

"I'm with Bella on this one. Pushing that girl away will only make it worse, and she'll see right through you. She's already observant. If you don't think she was watching us eat spaghetti at lunch, you're all fooling yourselves. And I guaran-fucking-tee you that she's noted that we all have the same color eyes – except for the Goddess – that we're all just a little too pretty, and that we all move just a little too gracefully. Believe me, I noticed those things, too. Didn't I, Heavy E?"

I smiled. "You did, Kevin. And you accepted the truth pretty well, I have to say."

"Psshaw!" he scoffed, shooting a wink my way. "I handled the truth with all sorts of style and grace."

"Well, except when you figured out Eddie read minds," Emmett pointed out with a laugh.

We all chuckled, except for Archie.

"Oh, yeah, that was a shocker," Kevin muttered, but grinned anyway and shrugged a shoulder. "Listen, Archie." He sighed, setting his hands on Archie's shoulders. "Sometimes, you have to tell the truth and hope things have a way of working out. This is one of those times when you have to follow your heart, not your mind. Yeah? She's a really cool girl, and she's crazy about you already. Her dad's lied enough; don't be like him. Be that _one person_ she can count on." When Archie nodded, Kevin smiled softly. "Now... I'm gonna go help Bella drop hints so that you can man-up and answer the questions you need to answer. _Truthfully_."

Archie grimaced at Kevin's raised eyebrow, and the latter spun to walk into the house.

He looked to me. "Is he really?"

Snorting, I shook my head. "He's not going to drop _Dracula_ into Caroline's lap, but he is considering handing her Bella's book."

"Aw, damn," Archie groaned, which made Carlisle smile, especially when Emmett, Jasper, and Adrian started to bet on whether Kevin would really do it. I tossed a fifty at them because I was pretty sure that Kevin was just shameless enough to do it.

"You're not alone in this, son," he told him. "We told you that before. You made a mistake, but I honestly can't fault you for it. You were doing what was best at the moment. From what you described, Caroline could've gotten really hurt."

Carlisle's praise settled Archie's heart a little, but Kevin's speech was still rattling around in his head. Following his heart would mean revealing himself, what he was, and what he'd done to the girl it affected most. With that route, he'd have to face the consequences of what he'd done ten years ago. On the other hand, following his mind and his need for self-preservation would mean he had to let her go, and he didn't know if he had the strength to do it.

"God, Archie," I groaned, shaking my head, gripping my hair, and bending in half at the memory of it. "It's the worse feeling in the world. I can't even explain the pure pain of it all. To lie, to push her away and watch her crumble... I can't describe how disgusted with yourself, how unbelievably low you'll feel. Worse than the change, I swear to God..."

"It doesn't come natural to lie to our mates, Archie," Carlisle explained, patting my shoulder in sympathy when I finally stood up straight. "You'll find that it's very difficult to do. First, they can see right through you, even when they've only known you briefly. Second, something about the mate connection _makes _you want to tell them everything, let them truly know you. This is something you really have to consider before you make a decision."

Jasper stepped forward, giving me a quick glance. "I'm merely offering an opinion, but I felt what Edward went through. I know what it did to him, and he's one of the strongest people I know. It nearly destroyed him. I honestly don't think you'd survive it. I think you should trust yourself enough to know that while the truth in this situation is tough and it's going to shock her, you should have faith in her strength. I'm beginning to see a pattern with human mates," he said, grinning my way. "They're built of stronger stuff. Just look at Bella...at Kevin."

"But that means..."

Sighing, I nodded. "Her immortality is something you will eventually have to consider," I said vaguely because Alice's mind was screaming at me not to divulge too much. "Both Bella and Kevin were fatally wounded. It was unavoidable. And both were changed in order for us to keep them." I gestured between myself and Adrian, who was nodding slowly. "I changed Bella myself, and Adrian asked Carlisle to help."

"I can't... Not now." Archie rambled, shaking his head fervently.

"No one is asking you to do anything," Carlisle soothed. "And that's a personal decision between mates. If Caroline knew the truth, accepted all of it, and was educated on what immortality truly meant, then the two of you could come to an informed decision. Understand?"

Archie nodded, but his mind was a little more calm. Having everyone explain some things to him, rally around him, and give him some much needed answers made him see that he had some thinking to do. He finally looked up to me.

"She's close to sleep, but she was concerned at how upset you were," I answered his unasked question. "Bella and the girls talked to her, and despite how careful we've tried to be, Caroline is silently questioning everything now. But she wants to talk to _you_. She feels that she upset you somehow."

Archie's face fell. "No, I was... And I just..."

"I know," I urged. "Believe me, I know. Just...don't be surprised when..." I stopped, grinning widely and shaking my head. Looking to Emmett, I said, "Split up the bet. Kevin just handed _Forever_ to her for a 'little night reading.'"

"Motherfucker," Emmett guffawed, splitting the money between Adrian and me because Emmett and Jasper had thought Kevin wouldn't do it.

"Will it help you if I told you she's already read it?" I asked Archie with a chuckle.

"Oh boy," Carlisle sighed, shaking his head. "What were you going to say, Edward?"

"I was going to say that Archie shouldn't be surprised if Caroline corners him to apologize and ask what she did wrong," I said sadly. "Alice has already seen it."

"What else has Alice seen?" he asked, looking between all of us.

"She sees Caroline's future as muddled," I answered carefully. "You have to decide first if you're going to come clean with her. Everything after that is...blurry."

Archie wanted so badly to ask if Alice saw Caroline as one of us, but he kept the question to himself. I answered anyway.

"That is a possibility, Archie. It always is," I stated firmly, and he nodded once. I sighed deeply, feeling weary and turning to Carlisle. "I need to hunt. In fact, Bella's attitude may indicate that she needs to hunt, as well."

"Take her, then. Just don't stay gone long," he requested.

"Why is Bella mad at me?" Archie asked, looking heartbroken at the prospect of it.

I huffed a humorless laugh through my nose. "Because she's been on the receiving end of that very lie you tried to pull off tonight. She didn't believe it, either, but she was so pissed at how I'd delivered that lie that we didn't speak for a whole month. Archie, she's afraid you don't have a month. Like you said, her father is coming for her in two days. A lot can happen in two days...or nothing at all."

Archie nodded, but I didn't stay around to see what else was discussed. I went off in search of my Bella. I needed her, and I needed to hunt. I had to step away from the parallel that was Archie's life in comparison to my own. And I really, really needed to thank my girl for just...being mine.

~oOo~

**BELLA**

The snarl that echoed through the Canadian woods made me flinch. Stepping lightly, I leaned against a tree to watch Edward take down a bear...which never stood a chance. My husband was hunting with malice and frustration. His normally calm face was replaced with something I hardly recognized. When the bear was drained, my Edward stayed kneeling by its side, his fists balled up on top of his thighs and his head bowed, as if in prayer.

With movements so swift, they appeared a blur, he stood up, grasped the bear, and threw it, taking down several trees with his strength.

"Edward," I gasped, my heart breaking when his face spun my way.

"He doesn't get it!" he snapped, shaking his head and clawing at his hair. "Archie. He simply just doesn't understand how important this is. He thinks... He thinks that he can just let her go, that he can wait until she returns. I've seen him debating it!" He tapped the middle of his forehead. "The _pain_, Bella... He doesn't understand how much that will hurt him...hurt _her_."

Nodding, I sighed deeply and stepped closer. All of that was true. And it completely explained why Edward had barged into the house, grabbed my hand, and tugged me out the back door with barely a word said. But it was the dark look that he'd shot Alice that made me ask the next question.

"But she doesn't come back, does she?" I asked him carefully. "Alice's vision changed, didn't it?"

"It didn't change as much as it...split into two possibilities," Edward whispered, glaring unseeingly out into the dark woods. "Caroline..." He groaned, gripping his hair again to the point I was afraid he was going to pull it out at the roots. "Alice sees two options. And it's the two options that Archie keeps spinning around in his mind. The first is that he tells her the truth about everything, her father still comes...but she still sees her as one of us by the summer. But now there's another possibility. If Archie remains silent, he... He...breaks her, Bella. Her faith in everyone she knows will be shattered. She goes back despondent, and she... Her future..."

"Goes black," I groaned, nodding in understanding when he barely whispered yes aloud. "She's destined to be immortal," I whispered, my brow furrowing a little, but finally, I looked to Edward. "Like me. Like Kevin. Humanity kept trying to get rid of us. We were born to be vampires."

"He could so easily lose her," Edward whispered, his face heartbreaking to look at. He rubbed his chest, shaking his head slowly. "He doesn't know pain. He thinks he does, but he doesn't have a fucking clue."

"Edward, sweetheart... Sit."

It was a gentle command, but he obeyed it instantly, taking a seat on a fallen log. I knelt between his legs, cupping his face.

"They aren't like us, baby," I told him softly. "They are mated, yes, but they aren't connected like we are. No one is. She doesn't share his soul. Even I can see that. What you and I have is so very rare. Our pain is different."

"I know. But it's... He has no idea what he's setting himself up for – the loneliness, the anger, the jealousy, the isolation." His forehead fell to mine, and his eyes closed as he sighed deeply. "I understand his fears – probably better than he does. I've been there. But the reward for facing those fears," he panted, grasping either side of my face gently in his hands. "God, I'd do everything all over again just to have you. He doesn't get that."

"Tell him, Edward," I urged, unable to not get closer, so I scrambled into his lap. "Tell him that Carlisle would relive his two centuries over again just to have Esme; that Rose would fight ten thousand bears to just get Emmett at the end of it all; that Jasper would destroy hundreds of newborn armies in order to fall into Alice's arms; that Adrian would walk through fire to reach Kevin. And that you...you would face the Devil himself for me."

"I would," he whispered, nodding against my forehead, his eyes remaining closed.

"I know you would, baby. I have no doubt. And I'd kinda feel sorry for the Devil," I teased softly.

Edward's lips twitched at the corners. "My biased girl..."

I smiled a little, brushing my lips across his. "Look at me," I whispered, and his long eyelashes swept up to reveal a darkening gaze. I knew what I was looking for, and I found it, but I wasn't going to address it just yet. It had been growing for almost twenty-four hours, but it needed to wait just a little bit longer. "Handsome, I know you never, ever want someone to go through what you and I did, and I agree – wholeheartedly. Some of this needs to be worked out between them on their own. I'm not saying we can't help, but I'm just wondering if we shouldn't tell Archie what's been foreseen. Carefully, gently."

"Me, too." He sighed wearily. "And help, how?"

"I don't know." I shrugged a little. "But I know she's really close to asking some tough questions. She's watching us closely now. Like I did. She's going to notice more and more."

"His time is so damned limited," Edward growled softly, pulling back, but his fingers swept through my hair over and over. "And he's absolutely terrified to face the truth about Caroline's mother. But wouldn't he rather have eternity to beg for her forgiveness than to lose her completely to ignorance?"

"Oh, Edward," I groaned, nuzzling his nose with mine. "Perhaps...maybe that's what needs to be asked of him. Hmm?" I ran my fingers through his hair to calm him, but also to give him what he needed. He was on the edge of a moment that was about to pull him into the abyss. It was heavy against my heart, and I could see he was just about helpless to it. "And maybe she needs to know what questions _should_ be asked..."

I smirked when his eyes darkened even further. His face was fierce and mischievous and gloriously beautiful, and I could tell he was almost agreeing with me.

"I had time to come up with the right ones," I continued, tilting my head a little. "She isn't quite so lucky. She has two days before whatever happens, happens. It seems all this boils down to Archie revealing the truth and the arrival of her father."

"Yes," he simply said with a single nod. "Fuck, Bella..." he barely said aloud. "You're so beautiful... I can't imagine my life without you. It hurts to try. And... And...you're everything to me."

Smiling, I thanked him with a kiss, but I knew the talk of Archie and Caroline was over. Edward's moment had completely engulfed him. It most likely had been brought on by the stress and similarities of Archie, but that was okay. I loved him like this – sweet, desperate, unable to take his eyes off me, and almost inarticulate. They were usually harder on him than me, only because he had to give up control. A giant troll could've walked up into the clearing in which we were currently sitting, and he'd pay it no attention whatsoever.

"Edward, baby... Tell me what you need," I urged him in a whisper, again running my hands through his hair.

"You."

"I know that much, handsome. How do you want me?" I asked him, trying to coax an answer from him, which was probably futile.

His long, strong fingers slipped into my hair on either side of my head, gripping it in fistfuls. "In every way possible," he rumbled, his eyes now pitch black and wanton.

I couldn't help the purr that pushed out of me against his face as I barely swept my lips across his. "Mmm, now that sounds just...delicious," I crooned, grinning at the slightly crooked yet completely carnal smile curled up one side of his mouth. "You want me to take the edge off?"

"Bella...love, I can't fucking _think_," he admitted, begging me with his eyes to do something – _anything_.

"Okay, okay," I soothed him, slipping slowly back into a kneeling position between his legs. "Let me see if I can help with that..."

Normally, I would tease him. I'd unbutton his shirt slowly, taking my time at revealing every inch of his glorious skin, but I couldn't do that now. He'd lose his mind. So with quick, nimble fingers, I rid him of his black button-down, pushing it off his shoulders and onto the forest floor behind him.

"Come here," I ordered, tugging until his ass was on the ground and his back was propped up against the log on which he'd been sitting. Again, I moved quickly – sneakers, socks, belt, the button of his jeans, and finally, the zipper.

He lifted up enough for me to remove his jeans, freeing his heavy, hard, already-leaking cock.

My eyebrows shot up at the low, deep, rumbling growl that vibrated around me, and I smirked. Now I knew what Edward wanted. And it was something I _totally_ understood.

Gliding my hands up his shins, over his bent knees, and down his thighs, I tilted my head at him, my eyes locking with hungry, desperate...and dirty. I spread his legs a little, inhaling the scent of him, dragging my nose up the inside of his thigh as I bent closer to where he needed me most.

"Mm, Edward... I do love how your cock stands at attention for me," I told him, hiding my smile as his breathing became heavier, labored. My sweet, moment-infused Edward needed dirty talk. "So hard...so fucking beautiful."

That was no exaggeration. Edward's cock was perfect, beautiful, and so very hard. I couldn't help but trail my nose up the vein along its bottom, only to do it again with the tip of my tongue.

"Bella," he groaned, his fingers fisting one side of my hair out of the way so that he could watch.

Swirling my tongue around his sensitive tip, I locked gazes with him before savoring the flavor and the essence of pure, unadulterated Edward, letting him read my mind for every feeling, thought, and reaction. Fuck, he tasted good – like he smelled, only stronger. I sank my mouth down around him, knowing this was just the beginning and wanting to help take the edge off that desperate feeling he was most likely experiencing.

"I won't last, I won't last," he chanted in a voice that almost sounded like a sob of relief. Fingers twisted into my hair while his other hand guided my head. "Baby, fuck... Please. More. Just..._more_!"

I locked gazes with him, my hands joining in on what I was doing. While my mouth feasted on him, swirling, sucking, licking, my teeth scraped along his shaft gently and my hands cupped, squeezed, massaged. My thumbs teased where the crease of his thighs met his scrotum, my fingers caressed skin, reveled in wiry hair, and trailed back to stroke places that I knew would send him over the edge.

There was nothing as perfect, as sexy, or as amazing to watch as Edward lost to us. Just us. It was such an erotic sight to watch him chase his orgasm at the same time he was trying to hold back, trying to stave it off simply because it felt too good to end. He was beautiful as his head fell back, the chords in his neck standing out and his teeth latching down hard onto his bottom lip.

Edward's hips lifted up off the ground as his cock twitched hard. My own legs squeezed together to fight the ache that pulsed deep in my core. I could feel the swelling of my clit and the throb that watching Edward caused. My hand gripped his base hard, moving in tandem with my mouth as I took him inside as deeply as I could at the same time I mentally told him how delicious he tasted, how wet he was making me, and how my pussy needed him so badly.

With a snarling growl at that last thought, my sweet husband lost the last shred of his control. He stiffened, gripped, and rose up as he came harshly down my throat in several long spurts. The power trip that came with his orgasm was hard to ignore. No one...literally _no__one_ had ever had the honor, the blessing, the pleasure of causing Edward to fall apart. Except for me. He was mine. He'd waited a hundred years..._for me._ And sometimes, that knowledge, that fact caused me to feel so very powerful, so very proud, yet so very humble at the same time.

Bracing my hands on his bent knees, I trailed my lips up his stomach, along his chest, and finally dropped a heavy kiss to his open mouth before standing up in front of him.

"I know you need more, handsome. Hang in there for me, okay?" I asked him, smiling when he nodded quietly, but his eyes remained on me as I reached for the bottom of my sweater.

I tossed my shirt on top of his jeans, kicking out of my sneakers. I shimmied down my own jeans, looking up at Edward when his gasp met my ears. His eyes were drinking in every inch of me. Edward licked his lips, growling low as he took in what I was left wearing. I felt myself smile – _his_ smile – all crooked and smug, because I just couldn't help it.

"You've earned this, you know," I told him, gesturing to the lingerie that I was wearing – sheer white, embroidered with small, purple flowers along the edges.

"Yeah?" he whispered, barely tearing his eyes from my body to gaze at my face. "I can't imagine how..."

I giggled. I just couldn't stop it. "You think I don't know how grateful you are, Edward? You think I haven't seen every time you look at me since Caroline's been here? I see it. I know how many times you've counted your blessings, baby. I'm not blind, nor am I stupid. You look at me like I'm your salvation."

"Oh, God, sweet girl. You are," he whispered, reaching out to pull me closer. His hands skimmed up my thighs, his fingers taking in the feel of the flowers along my ass, only to grasp the tie at the back of my neck. He untied it with a slow, gentle tug.

With flat hands, I reveled in the strength of his biceps up to his strong shoulders. Pressing my forehead to his, I said, "You've earned this simply for trying so hard to prevent others from missing out on this...this feeling _right here_," I whispered, trying to keep the emotion out of my voice. "I love you...so fucking much. And you've been amazing through this whole thing. I wanted to show you that _I know_, Edward." I pointed to my chest. "I know how happy you are. You never, _ever_ have to thank me. For any-fucking-thing. Do you understand?"

"I know, Bella...but I _want to_," he insisted with an urgent tone coming through his gritted teeth as he slowly pulled my bra away and then untied my bottoms, as well. "I want to worship you, bow down to the God that made you and allowed me to have you, and beg you let me love you every day for the rest of my existence."

He panted, his eyes squeezing closed as I slowly straddled him. His hands shook as he barely allowed his touch to leave my skin. His breathing was in spurts, and a long, slow moan ghosted between us.

"Love... It hurts. I love you so much it hurts sometimes," he rambled. "I need you, sweet girl. Please, please... Just...take..."

"Shh," I hushed against his lips. "I will always take care of you, baby. Always. And I need you, too, Edward. Feel it?" I growled as my sex coated his renewed erection with my arousal. Rolling my hips slowly, I coated him again, gasping when the tip of his cock grazed against my overly sensitive clit. "Oh fuck, baby... So hard..."

Lifting myself up just a little, I lowered my soaking wet pussy down over him but held still. Holding his face, I kissed him slowly, deeply, languidly. He needed to feel me, ground himself in me. His grip, his kiss, his low growl started to increase in urgency, but I shushed him gently against his lips.

"Edward," I whispered, bringing his gaze to my face. "Touch me, baby. Feel that I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere, and that we're one again. Do you feel it?" I asked him, and he nodded vehemently against my forehead.

His hands were flat, open, skimming over every inch of my skin. He glided up the outside of my thighs, along my spine, and over my ass. Thumbs caressed the sensitive skin just under my breasts, only to brush across my nipples that were high and tight for him. I could feel it settle him down a little, and slowly, he started to guide me over him.

"Please, Bella. You have to move," he begged, moaning low when my hips rolled over his, taking him that much deeper inside me.

"Shit," I hissed with a shaky breath as his cock brushed against spots inside me that drove me mad, and I was so damn wet that there was barely any friction. I could hear it, feel it coating him. "Fuck..."

"Yes, yes, yes," Edward panted, grabbing both sides of my face. "More...say it out loud, Bella."

Smiling, I started to move over him and gave him exactly what he wanted. "Your cock feels so good, baby. I feel so empty when we aren't like this. My pussy's so full, Edward. Do you feel how swollen and wet you make me? I love claiming you like this. You're mine, baby, and I love taking what's mine."

Instantly, I found myself planted atop our pile of clothes, with a growling Edward looming sexily above me.

"I am yours," he agreed, bracing his hands on either side of my head, pulling out slowly, only to slam back into me. "Just like you're mine. Always."

"Always, Edward... Ungh!" My head pressed back into my sweater as he used swiveling hips to glide his thick cock along the spot that made stars explode behind my eyelids.

"You're mine...forever. Mistakes or not?"

"Yes, baby," I said, gripping the back of his neck to pull him closer. "No mistakes."

And there was what had kicked in Edward's moment – he never wanted to relive any sad part of our past. However, it was inevitable with the things happening back at home. I pulled at him harder until his face was hovering mere centimeters above my own.

"Get rid of it, Edward," I commanded. "There's nothing that could take me from you. Kiss me, fuck me hard, baby...just let go."

His kiss was searing and deep and claiming. His tongue curled around my own, sucking, tasting, and dancing. Teeth latched down on my bottom lip as he suddenly reached down to bring my leg up between us.

"So good, so deep..." he ground out, losing himself to the feel of us getting closer and closer to the same edge.

My eyes rolled back into my head as I felt the electric current that usually surrounded us kick into overdrive. Our connection was fusing us together, reconnecting us in a way that made us both almost incoherent. My chest expanded with my love for him.

"Do you feel it?" he asked, pressing his forehead to mine. He kissed me again as my core clenched hard around him.

"Yes. God, yes!"

He buried his face in my neck, his lips, teeth, and tongue assaulting the spot that always sent me over the edge as my leg slipped down to the crook of his elbow. Nonsensical words, grunts of need, and groans of satisfaction mixed with my name and terms of endearment ghosted against my flesh. Edward was losing it and quickly.

"Everything, Bella," he said, finally making sense.

Dragging my teeth across his shoulder, I whispered, "Yes, Edward...everything."

I knew what he meant. I was his everything, he was mine, and he'd endure everything all over again as long as we were right back in each other's arms when it was all said and done. My Edward carried the weight of the world on his shoulders due to his ability to hear minds and therefore took things to heart. He always had, and he probably always would. And he was so very happy that he'd never, ever want the scared, oblivious couple back at the house to ache, to suffer the way that we had.

When we finally came, it was together, and it was a thunderous cry of names and claims of love.

Edward panted heavily against my neck, unlatching his teeth from my flesh.

"Don't move, don't move, don't move," I begged. "Stay right here. I know you need it."

He nodded, staying quiet as he gently released my leg, but I wrapped them around his waist to keep him close. He kept his face buried, stayed inside me in the most intimate of ways, but his arms snaked beneath me in order to hold me tight all the while I whispered that I loved him, that he was okay, and that I felt truly worshiped.

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

A shudder wracked my frame as the last of my moment ebbed away. I gazed up at the beauty that was straddling me. I'd taken her a total of three times before I could even think straight. I felt sated, more in control, and absolutely head over heels in love with her. Rubbing the outside of her thighs, I took in my girl's appearance. She looked wrecked, with dry leaves stuck to her skin and sticking out of her hair. Her lips were kiss-swollen, her eyes a sated, chocolate brown, and I was pretty sure that she had a new immortal bite mark on the inside of her thigh, but that moment was a little blurry. However, her smile was happy as she planted her hands on my stomach.

"You look pretty proud there, Smug McBraggerson," she teased with a giggle.

My head fell back with my laugh. "Yeah, well... I'm a possessive kinda guy, Bella. I can't help it. You look..."

"Thoroughly fucked?" she provided, and I laughed again. "You should see what you look like, handsome. Hmm?"

I sat up, keeping her in my lap. I inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. We smelled so good together – like a spring breeze laced with the tang of arousal. I set about pulling the leaves and twigs out of her hair. It was only fair because she'd taken very good care of me.

"Better, Edward?" she asked simply, running her fingers through my hair.

I nodded, keeping my eyes on the task at hand, but fingers beneath my chin forced my gaze to hers.

"Talk to me," she demanded gently.

"I'm okay," I vowed with a nod and a shrug of one shoulder. "Thank you...for being there."

With a kiss to the tip of my nose, she said, "Always." Skimming her hands down to my chest, she rested them there. "We should head back."

"We should've been back sooner. Carisle's probably upset. I promised him we wouldn't be gone long," I admitted to her, grimacing when she shifted just enough that my dick slipped out from inside her. I hated the mere idea of separating from her, but it was unavoidable.

"There were circumstances beyond your control, Edward. If he complains, send him to me," she stated firmly, her face telling me that she meant every word. Her protection of me knew no bounds – even from members of our own family.

"Love you," I sighed contentedly, smiling up at her when she stood up.

"Love you, too, Edward. I need to...umm, clean up." She giggled, rolling her eyes when my possessive growl erupted from me.

The sight of not only my mark on the inside of her thigh but my seed on her legs was the ultimate claim on her, and it made me want her again. And again.

"Edward, focus! You are so shameless." Her laugh caused my own. It was infectious.

"Sorry, love. Uh, there's a creek right over there. Hear it?" I asked her.

Bella cleaned up quickly, and once we were redressed, she climbed up onto my back. Her mind was filled with the need to stay close, and with all that was going on back home, she was feeling a bit nostalgic. She giggled when I tickled her knee, burying it into my neck, as I took off at a run.

As we neared the house, I could hear Alice's mind. Of course, she saw our arrival but told me to slow down and to not approach the house just yet. Slowing down to a human-paced walk as the backyard became visible through the trees, I saw why. Caroline was on the back deck, book in hand and blanket wrapped around her as she sat quietly in one of the loungers. She wasn't reading a single word on the page, because she was angry.

And the reason for her anger was making his way tentatively out the kitchen door.

"Oh boy...she looks _pissed_," Bella said softly in my ear.

I nodded, slipping her down so that her toes touched the ground, but instead of making our way back into the house, we stayed hidden, per Alice's request. Leaning against a large tree, I wrapped an arm around Bella.

"She tried to talk to him, apologize, but he wouldn't budge," I whispered to her, barely making a sound. "And Alice says we're needed, but not yet."

Bella nodded, content to lean against me.

I could see the conflict in Archie even without reading his mind. He couldn't find the courage to talk to her, but he couldn't stay away, either. It was tearing him up on the inside. He sat down in the chair beside hers and eyed the book in her hand. It was _Forever_. The mere idea that it contained some of the truth of what we were made him shake with nerves. I wanted to tell him she hadn't put anything together...yet, but she was merely reveling in the love story in her hands.

Caroline's eyes narrowed, and her nostrils flared when she set her angry gaze on Archie. She was determined to wait him out. She'd tried to talk to him earlier, but he'd shut her down.

I grinned. "She's a headstrong thing."

"Good. She needs to be," Bella added. My girl's tone wasn't angry, but she was simply stating a fact. Archie was damaged and raw, and he needed someone strong to guide him.

"Caroline," Archie started softly, feeling completely and utterly lost. He wondered where I was but then thought maybe he needed to do this alone.

"What?" she sighed, closing the book in her lap and then folding her hands together. "_Now_ you want to talk to me?" she asked him carefully. "You ignored me earlier."

From Archie's mind, I could see what had occurred while we were hunting. Caroline had waited until she thought everyone was asleep before approaching Archie alone in the living room. She wanted to know what had upset him earlier, to try to make amends, but he'd merely glared at the TV, muttering something about it not being her fault, but his. His cold brush-off had hurt her feelings, most likely more than his attitude after he'd stopped her fall.

As she glared at him, making him flinch with her ire, she silently noted his beauty, the color of his eyes, which happened to be the same color as everyone else's. She tried to figure out how we were all adopted or foster children, yet had some of the same features. She then replayed the incident at the movie theater over and over. The reason she knew that he'd been nowhere near her was because she'd been trying to make her way to him. He had been her goal while Bella and my sisters chatted with their friends. She had seen him just before she started to slip. She remembered that he shifted from beside me, only to completely disappear. His arms around her, his close proximity, and his absolutely terrified expression had shocked her, but she knew what she'd seen. She wasn't crazy.

Archie looked thoroughly chastised as his gaze focused more on his hands than anywhere else.

I frowned at what Caroline was about to do, because she sighed deeply in defeat. She'd dated a little back in school – nothing serious – but she'd been brushed off before.

"Look, Archie. I get it. You don't have to like me. I showed up on your doorstep, basically pushing my way in. I thought maybe we had...something, but I guess I was wrong. Your family is awesome, but I promise that I'll be out of your hair soon. Okay? Just tomorrow and the next day. A day and a half, and you'll be rid of me."

Bella crooned sadly, shaking her head.

"I _do_ like you!" Archie argued a little louder than he'd intended and then dropped his tone down a lot. "I like you more than I could possibly explain. I just... It's..."

Caroline snorted derisively and shook her head. "Then, whatever I did to upset you... I'm sorry." Her tone was short, and she kind of wanted to be left alone, but she couldn't help but want him near. It made her feel like a masochist.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Caroline. I promise," he whispered, sighing deeply in frustration. "It was me, okay? It's all on me."

"Tell me the truth, then," she demanded.

"You don't know what you're asking," he countered with a grimace.

"I'm asking for an explanation, Archie. Not brain surgery!" she sneered. "Tell me how you got to me so fast."

Bella snorted, thinking, _She's good for him. She makes him squirm._

I grinned, pressing a kiss to the back of her head before bending my mouth to her ear. "Stubborn, love-sick men need it."

Bella smiled, turning to kiss my cheek. _Yes. Yes, you do._

"I can't explain it," Archie stated, looking so conflicted that it was painful to watch. He thought back to what I'd said about lying to our mates, and he felt it. He literally _ached_ for Caroline to truly know him – every single thing about him. But his guilt over Lisa Dixon overrode his mouth.

"Try," she huffed, rolling her eyes in frustration. "Because you know what? If I want lies and deception, I'll call my dad, okay?" she asked, throwing off the blanket and starting to stand.

_Edward! You have to get to them now. He grabs her too hard!_ Alice's vision hit me like a ton of bricks, and I grabbed Bella's hand.

Skirting the woods silently, we ran as fast as we could so that we could quietly come in the front door, through the house, and out the back door. We opened the door to raised voices and Caroline's red face.

"Caroline, wait!" Archie called, reaching out a hand to her arm, but the sight of me made him come up short, especially when I shook my head.

"Don't touch her. You're not in control, Archie," I said just low enough that Caroline couldn't hear me.

Even though she was aware that Bella and I were there, she rounded on Archie. "No, I'm not waiting. I can see that you're lying. I fucking _despise_ being lied to. I appreciate you helping me, but I can't... I _won't_ stand for it, Archie," she snapped, her eyes a deep, dark blue as she turned to face us.

Again, her mind noted my eye color versus Archie's, but Bella's were different, and that made her sigh deeply. She was so very confused.

"You guys okay?" Bella asked, looking between the two like she hadn't heard every word.

"Yes," Caroline growled, gripping _Forever _in her hands in order to not wrap them around Archie's neck.

"No," Archie groaned, begging Bella and me silently for help.

Archie's answer made Caroline glare at him one more time before turning to me. "I'm... I'm going back to bed for a few hours. I'm so very sorry if I woke you," she stated.

I smiled as best I could since Archie was begging me to keep her there, but I couldn't. I could see that the poor girl was just exhausted, and her going back to sleep would give everyone a break for a moment.

"No blood, no foul," I told her with a grin and a shrug.

She'd started for the door but froze at my statement, her hand squeezing around the book she was holding. She turned to face me, her thumb caressing the edges of the book over and over.

She narrowed her eyes. "What did you just say?"

_Yes, yes! Say it again, Edward!_ Alice practically screamed in my head. _You'll make the connection for her so that Archie doesn't have to_.

I chuckled. "I said no blood, no foul. No worries. It's okay."

She tapped the book across her knuckles, and I watched in fascination as she put it together. She glanced over me, noting my hair, my height, my demeanor. Her gaze drifted over to Bella, noting the same things. She remembered Kevin's smirk when he'd handed her the book even after she'd told him that she'd already read it. But the fact that she'd _just reread_ Bella's time in the hospital after the van was what did it for her. Though the names, places, and some events had been changed, some of the original dialogue had remained untouched because Bella liked it that way. When Tyler had apologized to me about the ice and his van's loss of control from the next bed over from Bella, I'd said those very same words.

_No blood, no foul_.

Caroline's heartbeat picked up. Her teeth gnawed on the inside of her cheek, but I could see that I matched the exact description of Bella's "main character." In fact, _all_ the characters started to come to mind, swirling around together – a short, feisty, dark-haired girl, a rather large but boisterous brother, the calm, cool parental figures. But Bella and I remained her focus, and I smirked.

"You okay?" I asked her.

"No... I mean, yeah..." She shook her head as if to clear it, but a very important conversation in the book came to mind.

"_How old are you?"_

"_Seventeen."_

"_And how long have you been seventeen?"_

"_A while."_

The last word that flashed through her mind was "vampire." Caroline had just put all the pieces together. She knew. And it was exactly what Alice had wanted to happen.

"What are you?" Caroline whispered, her eyes leaving me and drifting over Bella to Archie, both of whom had just realized what had happened, especially Bella. Archie, however, was about to explode in panic.

My sweet, patient girl stepped forward, unable to deny that poor Caroline was pulling on her shield. "If I promise that we'll talk about it later, would you get some sleep?" she bargained gently. When Caroline didn't answer, Bella went on. "It's a lot to discuss, and you're so very tired, sweetie. Just...try. Okay?"

"Will _you_ tell me the truth?" Caroline snapped, ignoring Archie's gaping mouth.

Bella looked to me, but Alice's voice that gave her the go ahead just under Caroline's hearing range was what caused my girl to say, "Yes. I will. But you need to rest right now. Okay?"

Caroline studied Bella, and I could see she found nothing but sincerity. With a heavy, weary sigh, she went inside the house.

Bella locked gazes with me, but then we both looked to Archie. He looked like he could vomit right there on the spot.

"Oh God, Edward... What does she know?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I studied him, unable to deny that it was perhaps a good thing that Caroline figured it out the way that she did. It took a little of the pressure off him. However, the tough part – according to the vision Alice was having – was yet to come.

"You have to face this, Archie," I sighed, placing my hand on his shoulder. "She just figured out...everything."

* * *

**A/N... I love that Kevin has no shame. I love that Edward never wants Archie to go through any of the heartache or loneliness that he did. And I love the sharp, strong Caroline.**

**I will tell you that the next few chapters are emotional, high-strung, and a rollercoaster. I tried my best to approach the subject of Caroline's mother, what the Cullens truly are, and Archie's fears and guilt with as much of a gentle hand as I could, without taking away the seriousness of it all. That being said, I was a wreck for two days. LOL**

**No songs on the playlist this time around.**

**I want to wish everyone a safe and happy New Year! You will see me post again on Wednesday. :) I don't know about you, but 2012 drove me nuts. I'm ready for a new year. Until Wednesday... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N... I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year... :) Since I'm dying from a head cold, I was asleep way before midnight. I feel like I've been run over by a buffalo, but alas, I'm still kicking, so on with it...**

**You guys got a little heated this time around...some name calling, some anger, some cheering for Kevin, some swooning over "Needyward" (Thanks to TayloWendy for that new nickname). Good! :) I like it. It means I'm doing something right.**

**Now...this is where I'm going to tell you to strap in and hold tight. This chapter was hard to write and harder to read, according to my beta and pre-readers. This is where all the shit hits the fan. Okay? And remember, Bella's book _Forever_ is the book _Twilight_, so we all know those details...or we wouldn't be here. LOL**

* * *

Chapter 32

**BELLA**

Gazing out over the backyard, I watched the sun come up to another cloudy day. It wasn't raining, but the sky was already threatening it. I leaned back against Edward as we shared a chaise lounger, my fingers turning his wedding ring slowly over and over. I was tired of debating, so I ignored the hushed arguments around me.

Caroline had fallen back asleep, but even from where I was outside, I could hear her tossing and turning. She was restless, something that most likely stemmed from her overwhelmed mind.

All the deception and secret keeping was weighing down the entire house. If it were up to me, I'd tell everyone everything. Archie should know that Caroline's future was sketchy, at best. Caroline needed to know that she wasn't crazy, that everything she'd put together in her mind was the truth. And dammit if Archie didn't need to tell her that he'd been living in this house not only ten years ago, but a hundred.

Alice gasped my name, and I turned to face her while Kevin, Rose, and Emmett debated with Carlisle over how we could tell Caroline and then let her leave with her father in a little over thirty-two hours. Alice was practically in the same position I was, only in Jasper's lap. She nodded slowly, but Edward gave her thoughts a voice softly in my ear.

"She says it works, Bella. But you'll have to tread carefully," he whispered, pressing his lips to my temple.

"Then you have to start...with him," I told Alice, pointing in Archie's direction.

The conversation that had been waging around us stopped as Alice and I stayed in a locked gaze. I waited patiently for her to sort through every scenario, every possibility as I made my decisions. It was the way we worked. Rarely did we use it for something so serious, but we were good at it, nonetheless.

I made random decisions, giving every possible option, but when I reached the one that suited Alice, she nodded once.

"Only you can tell him," Edward whispered.

"Figures," I sighed, sitting forward.

Edward's fingers trailed down my spine. He'd heard every thought, so his encouragement was greatly appreciated.

"I'm tired of hearing you people talk," I growled, giving a smirking Carlisle a scathing look. "Who has a problem with Caroline knowing the truth?" I asked, glancing around at the entire family. When no one said anything, I went on. "Okay, so then, what's the debate?"

"We can't just tell her what we are and send her back to California," Rose explained. "She could tell someone."

"I didn't. I knew, and I continued to live at home with Charlie, go to school, and keep my mouth shut." My statement was firm and met with no argument. "Kevin didn't tell anyone, either." I looked to Alice one more time. "Are you sure?" I asked her.

"We don't have a choice anymore," she answered, shrugging a shoulder. "He has to know."

"Okay," I agreed, getting up from my chair and walking to plop down in front of Archie. "Buddy, this shouldn't even be a debate, but we're facing a problem. See... Telling Caroline the truth isn't our biggest concern. Alice has...seen things. They're complicated and extremely delicate things. Remember when I told you my story? How all these things were stacked against me?" I asked him.

"Yeah, you said it meant you were supposed to be with Edward," he replied, his eyes glancing between me and then Edward.

"Exactly," I praised him, picking up his hand. "Caroline... She's got the same problem, sweetie. She's meant to be one of us. Alice has seen it."

"But what if..." Archie started to panic, but I held onto his hand firmly. "What if she doesn't want it?"

I looked up to Alice. "Does she look miserable to you?"

"No," Edward and Alice both answered, both fighting their smiles, which meant Caroline was probably very happy.

"When?" Archie asked, his voice barely there.

I sighed deeply. "Well, there's where the problem lies, Arch. We have several roads forking off in front of us, according to Alice. And we have to be very, very careful. On the one hand, she leaves tomorrow and becomes one of us by the summer, but that requires that she knows the truth...about _everything_. And that means putting our faith in her. On the other hand, you _don't_ come clean with her, and she leaves...but..."

"She doesn't come back at all," Archie gasped, finally putting two and two together. "Why?" he cried, looking to Alice with begging eyes. "Why, Alice?! She doesn't make it to college? Nothing?!"

His panic, his sadness, his disbelief had my eyes burning at the need to shed tears for him, but Alice got up and sat beside me, cupping his face.

"My talent doesn't work that way, sweetie. I don't know the whys," she said, trying her best to sound soothing.

"So why didn't you tell me?!" he accused in a growl, but it wasn't with any force behind it. "And why tell me now?"

"Telling you before now resulted in your disappearance. You didn't handle it very well," Edward piped up from behind me.

"Telling you now, however..." I grasped his chin gently so that he had to focus. "You _want_ her to know the truth, buddy. Now that you've met her, talked to her, fallen for her...you _want_ her to know everything. Deep down, you know it's true."

Archie gazed up at me through sad, dark eyes, but he eventually nodded. His eyes dropped to his hands in his lap, but Edward answered his unvoiced question.

"No, Archie...you can't do that. Her father _must_ pick her up. We've considered taking her for you," Edward told him, and I could hear the sadness in my husband's voice. "Taking her would cause an enormous problem with him. He already hates this house, so if his daughter disappeared before he could get here, he'd raise a very loud alarm."

"So if she leaves with her dad... How does she become one of us?" he asked, but he turned to Alice for the answer.

"There are holes in my visions, Archie. I see her leave, but then I see her one of us and happy with you. There's nothing in between. I really, really wish I could tell you what happens, but I can't. Believe me, I've tried," she explained to him in a begging tone. "But _not_ telling her the truth causes her to lose faith in everyone. She becomes extremely angry, and she has a fight with her father and runs out the door. She gets behind the wheel of her car, way too upset..."

"Oh," Archie murmured sadly. "Does she hate me for what I did?" he asked so softly that I could barely hear him.

Alice sighed deeply. "It's not an easy conversation. And her anger isn't exactly misplaced, but I can't see that she holds it against you."

"How do I do this? I don't even know how to start," he muttered to his hands more than anything else.

Alice snorted a little. "That's okay because she comes to Bella first. She's still a little upset with you."

Archie nodded, his mouth lifting up in the corner. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Okay. So what do I do?"

~oOo~

The house was eerily quiet as I worked in the kitchen. I was making Caroline's breakfast – and _only_ Caroline's. There was part of me that was grateful for the time alone as bacon cooked behind me. Using my normal speed, I popped toast into the toaster and cracked eggs into the pan. A small smile curled my lips, thinking I could've really used my speed when taking care of Charlie all those years ago.

I could hear her stirring, though we weren't alone in the house. Carlisle and Esme were in their room, and Kevin and Adrian were in theirs. Alice and Jasper had gone for a hunt. Both of them needed it. Between Alice's constant search of the future and Jasper's maintaining of every emotion in the house, they had to hunt; Carlisle and Edward had made them go. Emmett and Rose were off running an errand for Carlisle. Edward, however, was patiently watching over Archie in the garage.

The emotions in the house were running high. Caroline's heartbeat was fast, nervous. Kevin and I were pretty sure she'd take the truth about what we were just fine. We saw the same strength in her that we'd had as humans. What she needed to understand before Archie had a chance to speak was that this life, no matter how happy we were, was difficult. The reality of the change, the severing of familial ties, and the thirst were the hardest parts of this life. And she needed to know these things in order to understand Archie's story.

Edward and Carlisle had said to let her lead with her questions up to a point, but then Kevin said to do it the way my sisters and I had explained it to him. It was probably going to take both. There was a lot of ground to cover in a short time.

I was cutting the last of the fruit when I heard Caroline's tentative steps approach the kitchen. There was a touch of adrenaline in her fast-pumping blood, but there was a sour scent of salty tears hovering around her at the same time.

The book _Forever_ landed heavily onto the kitchen counter, and I looked up to Caroline with a raised eyebrow.

"How much of that is true?" she asked.

"Plenty," I told her cryptically, but I finished putting her breakfast together, switching the book for her plate. "Sit, eat, and we'll talk. Coffee or juice?"

"I think I'll need the coffee," she murmured.

I chuckled as I poured her a cup. "Probably."

Setting the mug, the cream, and the sugar down in front of her, I met her worried, yet determined gaze. She almost looked snarky, but I couldn't blame her, really. It was a mask, a way to brace herself for what was to come.

"You wrote that," she guessed, stirring her coffee slowly.

"I did."

"Funny... You don't look like the old woman on the back." She snorted, turning the book over to reveal the face of Marie Anthony that the public knew.

"No, but you can thank Jasper for that. That is my picture just...manipulated," I told her.

Caroline narrowed her eyes at the picture and then at my face. "Damn...the eyes."

I smirked and nodded, reaching for the book. I thumbed through it as she took a bite of her toast.

"You're not eating?" she asked.

Smiling again, I said, "No... No, I've..._eaten_ already."

She paled at that, and I set the book down rather roughly.

"Exactly," I told her. "If we're going to have this conversation, if you want to know the truth, then you need to know the reality of it. I can tell you've put two and two together, but I need you to say the word. Tell me what exactly you've discovered."

She set her fork down, pointed to the book. "This," she said, poking the book once. "This is you and Edward, isn't it?"

"It is," I said, sniffing one time.

"The book is set in Oregon, but you said you were in Washington State when you met him, so I can't imagine you would change it all that much. His family – brothers, sisters, parents – they're all described exactly like Alice, Jasper, Rose, Emmett, Carlisle, and Esme. And Edward is spot on, as are you."

"All true. Keep going," I told her. "You've yet to brave the word."

She picked up her coffee mug, holding it in both hands and taking a small sip. "Vampire."

I smiled. "You're a smart girl, and you're extremely brave. But I need to ask if you're scared, Caroline. Because this is such an important thing, what we're about to discuss, I need to know if you can handle it. Our secrecy is paramount. Do you understand?"

"Just like the book." Her words were quiet, but at least she got it. She studied my face, taking a deep breath and letting it out. "I'm not scared of you – of anyone in this house. In fact, this is the first place I feel like I've fit in my whole life."

Nodding, I said, "Yeah. I get that. And there's a reason for that, but that'll come later."

"You're not sixteen."

Laughing, I shook my head. "Nope. Twenty."

A small smile curled the corners of her lips. "And how long have you been twenty?"

My laugh increased, because I really did like her. Her candor, her bravery, and her ease were a lot like Kevin's and mine. I shook my head at that, saying, "I'm approaching eight years."

Her brow furrowed as she glanced at the book and then back up at me. Her forkful of eggs stopped halfway to her mouth. "You were seventeen in the book."

"I was," I sighed sadly, thumbing through _Forever_ again. "A lot of things happened between then and now." I locked gazes with her, holding up the book. "The only things I changed were names and places. There are a few events that were...altered, but for the most part, this book is exactly what I experienced."

Caroline pushed her plate back and got up to pour herself another cup of coffee. Once she was seated again, she looked up at me. "Something in your face tells me that you're sad about that."

"Remember at the end of the book? Prom?" I asked her. When she nodded, I continued, "Hundred year old vampires can be very, very stubborn." I grinned, knowing that Edward was most likely listening. "That's a point you'd do well to remember. But I knew then that Edward was everything to me, and I knew that this..." I gestured up and down my body. "This is what I wanted. Edward, however, was convinced he was...'the bad guy.' He wasn't ready to accept that."

"So he's really a hundred years old?"

"A hundred and fifteen," I said with a chuckle. "Frozen at seventeen."

"So..." She dragged out the word, flipping through the book. "Carlisle in England, Edward in Chicago... Esme, Rose, Emmett and the bear? All of it's true?"

"Yup."

"So you don't drink from...people?"

"No. We drink from animals."

"And garlic, holy water, crosses? None of that works?" she asked.

"Nope."

"And you don't sleep," she stated, paling a little at that thought. I could imagine that Archie popped into her mind.

"No, not at all."

"You really sparkle?" She snorted.

"Yeah. Come here," I said, gesturing to the back kitchen door. I opened the small curtain. It wasn't a bright day. In fact, it was a little dreary, but there was enough sunlight pushing through the gray clouds for me to show her. "See?" I asked, holding my hand in the faint beam.

"Wow, that's really...pretty," she whispered, reaching a single finger out to touch the back of my hand.

"You should see the full effect on a bright day," I said with a snicker. "But you can also understand why we don't go out in it."

She nodded and stayed quiet as she made her way back to her seat. Picking up her cup, she sipped slowly. "So speed, venom, and...thirst?"

"All true, along with perfect memories and excellent hearing. But it's the venom and thirst that are what makes us so very dangerous," I sighed, taking the stood across from her and holding up the book. "Edward's reaction our first meeting? That was very real, and he came very, very close to doing something terrible. My blood sang for him then. It called to him. And it made him ravenous. All of that is true, too, in the book."

"What's it like?" she whispered.

"You have to understand that most of us – Carlisle and Edward, especially – have worked extremely hard at controlling what they are. We don't want to give into the basic instincts that come with what we have changed into. Everyone in this house – aside from Kevin and me – have had really rough starts to this life. Their stories are their own to tell, and some aren't easy to hear," I explained, thinking of Jasper, Rose, and Adrian, not to mention Archie.

I went on with a deep sigh. "The pain of the change is excruciating. The thirst when you wake up is just as painful. It's a burning sensation in the back of our throats. Everything about us is made to hunt humans – our looks, our smell, our voices. It draws them in, yet it makes them fearful, which only adds to the hunt. Everything about humans pulls _us_ in – heartbeats, adrenaline, and fear.

"My family and I fight that instinct, choosing animals instead. Some members of my family have made mistakes – big, huge mistakes – and they regret them so much. It's a guilt they carry with them always." I sighed, shaking my head. "It's a constant struggle for us...for them."

"All of you?"

"Some more than others," I stated with a nod. "Edward likened it to heroin addiction," I said, tapping the book, and she nodded. "I didn't understand that until I changed. And I honestly haven't ever had that draw, that pull to a human, so I can't tell you what it's truly like. He could, and you can ask him if you'd like. But I've also never been truly thirsty. Does that make sense?" I asked her. "Carlisle's story is the best example of that, where he fought so hard against what he'd become that he didn't drink. He didn't drink _anything_ until he was way beyond coherent thinking. Luckily, it was an animal that came along when he snapped and not a human being. And his story is similar to others in this house, only theirs didn't end so fortunate."

I gave her a pointed look, and she kept my gaze for a moment before glancing down at her coffee cup.

She nodded. "Archie."

"I've been asked not to tell his story. He'd like to do that himself. I've been given permission to reveal anything about Edward, Carlisle, Esme, and myself you'd like to know, but Archie asked nicely if I would leave his history alone until he can talk to you."

"_Will_ he talk to me?" she snapped.

"Yes," I answered her immediately but looked up when the back door opened.

Edward and Archie stepped into the kitchen. Edward walked straight to me, dropping a heavy kiss to the side of my head, whispering words of love and praise. Archie, however, stayed quiet, taking a seat across from Caroline at the counter. Her gaze flickered over Archie but rested on Edward and me.

Edward grinned, nodding to her. "Yes, that part is true, as well. I _can_ hear your thoughts."

Caroline's eyebrows shot up as she stared at him with an open mouth. "Seriously? Like...for _real_?"

Edward chuckled. "For real. And no, I can't think of anything you've thought of that was...inappropriate."

Giggling, I kissed his jaw. "His talent isn't the only one in the book that's real. Alice can see the future, Jasper can feel and manipulate emotions, and Emmett kept his newborn strength."

"But you can't hear Bella's thoughts," she guessed.

"I can now," he told her honestly, wrapping a strong arm around my waist. "Bella has her own talent, something that was present when she was human. She's what we call a shield." He paused for a moment, most likely allowing her to process that, but then went on as if answering her questions. "It works like the title sounds. She can protect herself and others from unwanted attack. She can allow me inside her mind, and she can push people and things away." Edward chuckled again. "Perhaps she'll show you later."

"'Kay," Caroline whispered, but her eyes landed on Archie, whose attention was on the book in his hands.

"Archie has a gift similar to mine, only more dramatic," I told her carefully, placing a hand on Archie's shoulder. "See... Archie here can completely disappear. He has a cloaking capability."

Her eyes narrowed on Archie, but he held her gaze bravely. "You _did_ disappear that night!"

"I did. I'm sorry if I scared you," he said sincerely.

"You didn't scare me, Archie. I just... I didn't get it. Now I do."

"In Archie's defense," Edward said softly, making sure Caroline was listening to him, "he couldn't risk you getting hurt. His instinct to protect you overrode his sense of secrecy. Does that make sense?"

She nodded, her eyes much warmer when they met Archie's. "I'm sorry I got mad. I just..."

Archie held up a hand. "Don't apologize to me. Ever. Or at least not yet," he said, huffing a humorless laugh. "You should hear everything first. I haven't lied to you as much as you think I have, but you don't know everything."

My heart broke at the sound of his guilt, his anguish over what he was about to do. Giving his shoulder a soft squeeze, I met Caroline's gaze.

"Remember what I said about stubborn hundred-year-old vampires?" I asked her, and she nodded, her gaze flickering to a chuckling Edward. "Now's the time to keep that in mind. Okay?"

"I wasn't stubborn! Just...set in my ways," Edward teased with a big grin, if only to lighten the mood.

"Mmhm," I hummed up at him, rolling my eyes.

Caroline smirked, watching us both.

"I'd like to think so," Edward said smugly, kissing my temple. "We _are_ made for each other, despite the years between us. And I honestly don't know what I'd do without her."

"Hundred," she whispered, her eyes narrowing on Archie. "I thought you just joined the family."

"I did," he said through gritted teeth. "And I am from Maine...right here in Caribou, actually. That is the truth."

Edward's face became solemn, almost sad, but he stepped around me to place a hand on Archie's other shoulder. "Caroline Dixon, meet Archie. _Archie Varner_."

Caroline glanced between Archie and Edward, the smile sliding off her face slowly. I watched as the recognition of Archie's last name solidified in her mind. I didn't even need Edward's talent to watch her put it all together. We were standing in the Varner house – the house that had the reputation for being haunted. And I saw when it hit her. Hard.

"No," she breathed, shaking her head in denial, but we didn't say anything. Just when I thought she'd bolt from the room, she glared at Archie. "Tell me! Everything!"

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

Archie physically recoiled from Caroline's command, not because he was afraid but because she'd said it with such force that he couldn't help but want to tell her. He looked up at me, begging me and Bella to stay close.

"We can stay," I told him softly. "I have no problem helping describe things you don't quite remember."

I pulled out a stool, taking a seat and pulling Bella between my legs. We were needed, and despite how Alice had gone hunting, she was close enough that I could hear her. She was insisting that Bella and I stay.

"Archie, please," Caroline whispered, picking up _Forever._ "Tell me! Tell me why I feel the exact same things Bella did. Why the feel of this house is exactly the same as when I lived here – like comfort and safety. And why no matter how hard I try, I can't find it in myself to stay mad at you."

Archie nodded. "I promise to tell you all of that, but you have to hear how I came to be, Caroline."

"Okay."

The words poured out of Archie unhindered. It was the most he'd said in one sitting. Ever. And again, I watched as a solid change wracked his immortal frame. He'd never lie to her again, and he'd never hold back...not to her. He'd needed to tell her everything. He started in 1901 with this house, his mother's death, and his father's insanity. He told her of his fears of the woods, his terror of being watched, and how his father had treated him, which he was able to now call abuse, thanks to Carlisle. When he got to the appearance of Victoria, his voice faltered over her description.

"Red hair?" she gasped, looking to Bella. "She's the same? In here?" she asked, holding up Bella's book.

Bella and I nodded, but I said, "Not all immortals are as...civilized as we are, Caroline. There are plenty of us out there that stick to the diet of legends, that toy with humans. We never wanted to be that way. Carlisle has shown us a better life, a better way to live."

She nodded in acceptance, but she turned her gaze to Archie. "I can't believe your father chained you to a fucking tree," she sneered, her mind filled with the same disgust we'd all felt when first hearing Archie's dreadful history. "What an asshole!"

Archie smiled softly, reveling in her defense of him, but he felt it to be too soon. She hadn't heard everything. "He wasn't of...sound mind, Caroline."

"Whatever. He still shouldn't have done it," she huffed, her face still filled with ire.

Bella's mind was in agreement, but she wasn't stupid, either. The worst was yet to come in Archie's story.

Archie continued, telling her about how Victoria had arrived like a ghost, like a deadly angel in the middle of the woods. He told her about trying to shoot her, how she'd teased him, played with his mind, and finally drank from him. He admitted to Caroline that he didn't remember much of that night because the venom and the pain had been too much. Victoria had stepped away just long enough to for the change to begin, and there was no going back.

Caroline frowned, trying to understand, but she didn't.

"Victoria liked her companions. Usually, they were less intelligent, easily manipulated. We _think _she stepped away to defend her meal. We don't know for sure," I explained to her as best I could. "I knew her mind. It wouldn't surprise me if she traded one companion for a new one," I said, raising an eyebrow and pointing to Archie. "She was very...um, _cruel_ that way."

"Please, go on," she told him. "I'm sorry I keep interrupting."

"No, it's okay. I'd rather you be clear on things," he sighed, his brow furrowing.

He took another deep breath and let it out before continuing on. He couldn't quite tell her how long he suffered through the change, only that it was so very painful. He stammered through how he felt when he woke up to find that he was inside his own home and his father was there as his first meal. There was a part of Caroline's mind that thought William Varner got what he deserved, and I shot her a quick nod of a agreement.

Archie's hands balled up into fists as he sat quiet for a moment. His mind was a blurry whirlwind of memories. Each step of his life he told her brought him closer to the hardest part, but he felt a touch of relief at being able to be honest with her, of being free of the facade.

"She told me nothing," he whispered, his eyes on the counter, not Caroline. "I didn't know...anything! I didn't know what I was, what I was supposed to do, or why I felt so...different. She kept all of that from me as some sort of twisted game." He huffed heavily through his nose. "We didn't get along. At all. She wanted me to hunt, but I couldn't leave the house," he said, grimacing at the largest clue he'd just revealed about himself. "Edward says that my fears from when I was human carried over to my new life, and I couldn't bring it upon myself to leave.

"Victoria was a little upset about that, but she went with it for a little while because my gift showed itself. I disappeared on her, trying to hide, so she brought...um, sustenance to me."

He looked up at her to see if talk of blood and drinking was bothering her, but Caroline simply nodded. However, she wasn't stupid by any means. She'd caught what he'd said about never leaving the house, but she locked it away for later examination. However, the words "haunted house" did flash through her mind.

"I hated what I was," he whispered, his gaze meeting hers and begging her silently to understand that point first and foremost. "I hated that my body required the death of a human being to keep it going. But Victoria went too far. She brought someone in that looked too familiar. She looked like my mother, and I just...snapped!" His voice had a touch of awe in it, but he went on. "I fought her. I wanted to kill her for what she'd done, for what she'd made me into, but she...she escaped. And she left me. She was evil and mean and left me completely alone."

"What did you do?" Caroline whispered.

Archie was quiet for so long that I thought he was done, but he sniffed, digging deep down inside of himself for all the bravery he could muster.

His chin jutted out in a defiant gesture. "I tried – multiple times – to kill myself, much like Carlisle, but I couldn't. I didn't know how. The only reference I had was the book _Dracula_, and that's all lies and myths. I tried so hard to not be what I was, but I couldn't...and I failed over and over."

When he glanced up at her again, a sound of anguish escaped him at the sight of Caroline's tears. He was off his stool and around to her side so quickly, but if he unnerved her, I wouldn't know.

"Don't cry," he whispered, reaching up with gentle yet shaky hands to wipe her tears away. "You're too beautiful to cry, and I don't deserve your tears, Caroline."

"How can you say that?" she sniffled, looking at him with an expression that was filled with warmth.

"Because my story isn't over," he told her, pulling his hands away from her, though regretfully. He missed the touch of her instantly. "I've done things..."

"But you can't help that! You can't help what you are. You didn't choose it," she argued, sounding so much like Bella that it hurt my chest.

I buried my nose into my girl's hair, inhaling deeply, because Archie had reached his boiling point.

"I've _never_ left this house, Caroline," he stated firmly, waiting for her to put it together. "Never. Not since I moved in at a year old up until the Cullens moved in six months ago have I ever left this house." His voice was almost a growl, but he maintained it. With a sound close to a sob, he said, "My fears kept me here, starved me, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't fight my thirst."

Carlisle and Esme stepped quietly into the kitchen. Esme's heart was breaking for both of them, but Carlisle felt Archie needed the extra support. I nodded to him in agreement, because this was about to explode. He pulled Archie back just a little, whispering encouragement into his ear.

Caroline gasped. _Invisible. A hundred years. Blood. Haunted house. Never left. My mother..._

I shifted Bella from between my legs and stepped around the counter so that I blocked her view of Archie. "Caroline, take a deep breath," I instructed because I could hear her heartbeat pounding in her chest. "What do you remember about the night your mother disappeared? I know it was ten years ago, and I know that you were young, but you have to remember something. Your father got a phone call from your mother on the way home from picking you up from school, right?" I verified, but she gaped at me. "It's really important that you remember, Caroline."

"How do you know that?" she whispered, her voice raspy, scared.

I tapped my temple. "I've seen two sides of that night, but I need to hear it from you. You push away certain memories, whether you realize it or not."

Instead of answering me, she slipped off the stool and rounded on Archie. "You were here! The whole time!" she yelled, balling up her fists. "This house wasn't haunted...it was _occupied_!"

Archie grimaced, nodding, and slid down the kitchen wall, gripping his hair. "Yes. I'm _sorry_!"

"What happened to my mother, Archie?" she sobbed, taking her still-fisted hands and pounding on him.

"Bella," Carlisle said softly, but my girl was already in motion because her shield was pulling her to Caroline.

As gently as she could, she wrapped the hysterical girl up and pulled her back.

"Don't protect him!" Caroline snapped.

"I'm protecting _you_," Bella told her softly, brushing the girl's hair from her face and wiping her tears. "You can't hurt him, only yourself. And believe me, he's hurting enough."

"Not enough for me," she sneered, glaring at Archie's suffering against the wall. "You killed her, didn't you?!"

Archie steeled himself but met her gaze. "Yes."

"Son, get her outside. She needs air," Carlisle instructed, gesturing to the back door.

"Sir," I muttered, guiding both Caroline and Bella outside.

As soon as the door closed behind us, Caroline bolted from Bella's embrace, running out into the yard. She stopped about midway and bent over double as she sobbed. For a moment, I thought her breakfast would come up, but she kept it down. When it seemed she'd caught her breath, she stood up straight and faced us, only to sit down harshly onto the grass. Her mind was a cacophony of accusations, anger, and sorrow. She had a million more questions, though, proving her strength once again.

"Ask," I urged her as Bella and I sat down in front of her. "Ask them."

"Why?" she simply asked.

"There are several reasons, but I'd like to start with the obvious," I started gently. "Archie's thirst wasn't in his control. You've heard Carlisle's story, and you know he went weeks without feeding, so by the time that panther came along, he couldn't stop himself." I waited until she'd swiped at her tears before continuing. "Archie? He went _years_ between feedings. And not just one or two... _Ten__ years_."

Caroline watched me carefully but nodded for me to continue.

"He wasn't lying to you. He was terrified to leave this house. You need to understand that when we change, some of our human traits carry over, so his fears, his traumatic life all came with Archie. Add in that he was thinking on a baser level, and you have the makings of a dangerous combination. His story isn't finished," I told her firmly.

"You need to know what we found when we arrived to this house," Bella added, reaching up to wipe more tears away.

I nodded, telling Caroline everything from the moment we stepped foot in the house – the detached mind I'd heard, the theft of objects, the video we recorded, to finally discovering the starved man in the basement. I explained what Archie had looked like, that he'd refused to speak, that he'd been absolutely terrified of women. Bella helped me by describing Archie's basement, how he'd lived in filth, tried his damnedest to hunt out the open cellar doors, and how he'd fought us every step of the way. Bella even explained the research that we'd done on the house, which revealed a hundred year pattern. And finally, we admitted to getting family involved, which was how her father had received a call from Anna.

Caroline was silent, her arms wrapped around her bent knees. Her eyes were locked onto the cellar doors, trying to imagine any or all of it. Her thoughts changed to her father, and she knew she owed him an apology for not believing him.

"You can't tell him," I stated softly, shrugging a shoulder.

"He wouldn't believe me," she snorted humorlessly.

I chuckled a bit. "Maybe."

"He was right about something being wrong in the house," she sighed, grimacing that it was Archie. And despite how angry she was at him, there was a part of her that couldn't help but be sad for him.

"I'll tell you about that last night and why your father left this house, but you must try to remember your mother first," I bargained gently. "You said she was angry about being here, but what did you hear on the way home from school, Caroline?"

She breathed heavily, her facial expression turning dark. "You know, I've tried to keep only the good memories of her for my dad's sake. He seemed so lost without her, but I've often wondered if it was guilt he was feeling. She wasn't just angry. She was miserable...and mean."

Caroline broke her gaze away from the cellar door to look between Bella and me. "My school called my mother the day she disappeared. I'd accidentally mentioned how she hated me and my dad, and my teacher called to discuss it with her."

I groaned, knowing where this was leading.

"So she called my dad when we were on our way home, and he always used the speakerphone when he was in the car, so I heard everything," she sighed, grimacing. "She wasn't just upset...she was _pissed_. She accused my dad of feeding me lies and working against her, and she threatened me with not only a 'beating,' but time-out for the rest of the night without dinner. She threatened him with divorce."

"Oh damn," Bella gasped, looking up at me, and I nodded. "That's what set him off. Archie _was_ protecting her!"

Clawing at my hair, I groaned as all the pieces to Lisa Dixon's last night alive finally fell into place. I took a deep breath and looked to Caroline. "There is a reason that you felt safe in the library, Caroline. Archie was right beneath you. There is a reason that he left you and your father untouched. But you have to understand that he wasn't himself. He was starving, so with the threats your mom made combined with her slip of the knife and his instinct to protect you... She would've never heard him coming...or _seen_ him, for that matter. And there would've been no way he could've stopped himself. He'd barely fed in ten years before that."

Caroline's eyes widened with that piece of information. "So why didn't he just...finish us off?"

"He really didn't want to," Bella told her. "His guilt was holding him back, along with his need to protect you, even from himself. But your dad's blood, however, started to taunt him."

"The night your dad pulled you from this house, Archie had just about reached his limit. He felt he'd taken from you too much already, but he was so very hungry. He was in the room, you were asleep, but your father woke up," I added.

Bella nodded, saying, "Archie didn't look like he did now, so he would've appeared as a ghost to your dad – pale, skeletal, with sunken black eyes. He was starved. But Archie begged him to take you from the house, told him that he couldn't hold back much longer."

"Archie saved you from not only what he viewed as a threat from your mother, but from himself, as well," I concluded. "I'll never understand how he did it. He's the strongest immortal I've ever met," I murmured, looking to Bella.

Caroline looked down at her hands on her lap, and I smelled the salt from her tears before they fell. She looked to Bella. "My heart hurts. I'm feeling too much at one time."

"I know," my Bella sighed, scooting closer and wrapping an arm around her. "It can be overwhelming." Caroline nodded and sniffled, but Bella went on. "You care for Archie already."

"Yes," Caroline admitted. "So much."

"But you're upset about your mom," she continued in a soothing tone. "It's understandable, really."

"It all makes sense, though!" Caroline sobbed, and it was a sound of relief. "My dad wasn't lying; he just didn't know what he'd seen!"

Bella smiled a little. "That's true," she murmured, pulling Caroline back so that she could look her in the eye. "Can I tell you something?" she asked, and Caroling nodded for her to go on. "Sometimes, things have a way of working out. Okay? Terrible things happen, events that make us stronger, and we become better individuals for it. We have to suffer in order to appreciate the good, the sweet surprises that life gives us as an apology for putting us through hell." Bella wiped Caroline's tears away. "I'm not just talking about you, but everyone I know has been through their own version of hell and come out the other side a better person for it."

Bella's eyes locked with mine, and my heart ached to kiss her, but instead, I mouthed, "I love you."

My girl smiled sweetly, but her eyes glanced past me toward the house. I'd heard Archie before he'd stepped outside. What was interesting was to watch Caroline sense his presence, as well, without even looking.

"He will give you whatever space you need, Caroline," I told her, tilting my head at her. "But he can't help but check on you. He will always fear for your safety, will always protect you, and despite how he'd held back what he truly is, he needed you to know the truth about him."

"Why?" she asked, but her mind elaborated more than her verbal response did.

I smiled, huffing a light laugh through my nose, but I stood up. "You've read Bella's book, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then you'll understand when I tell you that... You _are _his life now."

Caroline gasped as I walked away from her, and her mind was reeling at what that meant. I was halfway across the yard when Esme met me.

"He needs you, son," she whispered, giving Archie a warm, sad glance.

"I figured. And she needs you," I told her, leaning into the kiss she pressed to my cheek.

Before I could reach the back deck steps, Bella's mind wrapped around mine gently. Her love, her pride, and her worry were all clearly there.

_Edward?_

I turned to face her, smiling her way.

_You tell him that she just needs a little space and time...and that I'm so very, very proud of him._

I shot my girl a wink, finally coming face to face with Archie. "I know you're worried about her, Archie, but she's in the best of hands. I swear it."

Archie swallowed thickly, his mind thinking she hated him. He sighed wearily, looking to me. "What do I do, Edward?"

I smiled sadly, guiding him inside. "You told her everything, so you have no choice but to wait. What happens next is totally up to her."

"I'll wait however long she wants."

I squeezed his shoulder. "Believe me, I know."

* * *

**A/N... Deep breaths, everyone. The truth is out there, but the reality of it hasn't really set in, and the emotions are still raw.**

**If you aren't quite making the connection, then let me explain. The reason, besides the obvious thirst, that Archie snapped on Lisa Dixon was that she wasn't a nice person. Deep down, Archie felt some sort of protectiveness over Caroline, even back then. So add his thirst with Lisa's threat to the little girl, and you have instant fireworks. I'm not saying it was cool what he did, but then again, just about every member of that family has made a mistake. Unfortunately, this mistake was also an act of misplaced valor.**

**There was a reason that Edward kept trying to get Caroline to think about the day her mom went missing. He needed to see every aspect of that day. She's a strong, smart girl, so she'll be hearing from everyone.**

**My pre-reader, Goober, said Archie made her cry. JenRar said it was Bella at the end. All of them were hard to write. And the next chapter was just as difficult, but I promise light at the end of the tunnel.**

**No songs for the playlist this time...**

**The next chapter is done, beta'd, and preread...so I'll be posting on Sunday as usual. That is, if this cold doesn't completely kick my ass. Ugh.. Anyway, I'll see you guys soon. Until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N... While most of you think Lisa Dixon deserved Archie's reaction, you ****_all_**** agree that it is a rough thing for Caroline to have to accept. Perhaps a little more talking will help Caroline.**

**This chapter is mostly heavy, so brace yourself, but these were conversations that I felt absolutely, positively HAD to happen. You'll either love me or hate me by the end of this chapter, I'm sure of it. LOL**

**In fact, I'll let you get on with it and see you at the bottom.**

* * *

Chapter 33

**EDWARD**

My fingers flew over the keys of my piano as my eyes followed Carlisle, who was pacing back and forth in the yard on his cell phone. He was speaking in low tones to Marcus, but I could still hear his mind. The discussion was about the size of our family, possible options, not to mention the current situation with Archie and Caroline. Marcus had faith in Carlisle's decisions; he simply wanted to offer some insight. Jasper was with him in order to remove himself from the house and the wide range of emotions that were swirling around in it.

Archie had been squirreled away by the girls, Kevin, and Adrian. They were currently speaking about anything that _didn't_ have to do with love, mating, or small, blonde human girls. In fact, toenails were being painted as a movie played in the background upstairs in Kevin and Adrian's room.

Rose and Emmett were still gone, though they were expected back soon. I knew that they were working on some sort of contingency plan should we have to move quickly – something Alice had suggested – but the details were not something anyone was thinking about. And at the moment, I just didn't care.

I'd needed a break from all the thoughts swirling around, so I'd opted to lose myself in music. It didn't completely drown them out, but it helped my own mind zero in on a single thing, a single activity.

I heard the back cellar doors open, and Esme walked across the backyard to join Jasper as they listened to Carlisle's conversation. It was then that the bookcase door to Archie's bedroom shifted, and I looked up to see a nervous Caroline standing there. She'd been with Esme the most after the explosion that morning. Esme had told her some of our family history, including her own and the full story of Bella and me.

It was now mid-afternoon. The poor girl looked lost, wrecked, and sad. For a brief moment, I wondered if I'd driven Bella that crazy when we first met and she just hadn't said anything. Snorting to myself, I knew the answer was probably yes.

I stopped playing, pulling my hands away from the keys. "I can stop if you need to rest."

She shook her head, waving a hand at me. "I'm too...wired to sleep. But thank you." She glanced around the room, shaking her head at how the library still brought her comfort. "You play really well. Don't stop. It's relaxing."

I nodded. "Thank you. It is for me, too," I admitted to her. "Anything particular?"

She giggled a little. "Let me guess... You can play anything."

Shrugging, I smirked at her. "It's a blessing and a curse, the eidetic memory," I said with a chuckle and a tap to my temple. "With music and good memories, it's a blessing. With mistakes and bad times, it's a curse, because you can recall it with perfect clarity."

Her nose wrinkled at that, but she asked, "Did you really write Bella a song?"

With a grin and a nod, I started Bella's original lullaby. Though I'd written plenty of songs in her honor since then, this would always be my girl's favorite. In fact, I heard her mind think that very thing from upstairs.

Caroline's heartbeat started to calm as I played, and she walked along the bookshelves slowly. Her finger traced along the old spines in a manner I'd come to observe in book lovers. Bella did the exact same thing. The girl's mind, however, never slowed, never stopped, and every time she thought to ask me something, her heart would pick back up its frantic beat. Frowning, I realized she hadn't been this nervous with Esme.

_Don't want to bother him..._

I stopped playing. "Do I come across that way? As unapproachable?" I asked her.

She spun to face me, her eyes wide. "What?! No, no!" she gushed, but her face bloomed crimson. "It's just... I see how everyone looks to you, 'cause you're the oldest, and I know it must drive you nuts to hear everything... I didn't want to bug you, even though Bella and Esme said it would be all right, but now I don't know..."

Chuckling, I sighed deeply. "Breathe, Caroline. And please, have a seat." I gestured to the chair beside the piano that Jasper usually sat to play his guitar. I spun to sit on the end of the piano bench, resting my elbows on my knees once she was curled up in the chair. "First of all, I'm not the oldest. If we aren't counting Carlisle, then Jasper would be the oldest. I _am_, however, the first of the family. And yes, they have a tendency to come to me, simply because they always have. I've witnessed their changes – aside from Alice, Jasper, and Adrian – and helped them through the rough start."

"So you're like the big brother," she surmised, tilting her head a bit. I could see the girl that Archie adored and needed. She was bright and calm but fierce in her own way. And she made me want to help her, like Emmett and Jasper had helped Bella when we first returned.

"I guess you could look at it that way. Alice still calls me that," I said with a light chuckle. "And yes, I absolutely hear _everything_." I tapped my temple, rolling my eyes, which made her giggle. "Even things I don't want to hear," I told her, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded but then gasped. "Oh! Ew, I can't imagine, but then...you're a guy, so...maybe..."

Laughing, I shook my head. "Um, no. It's not like that. I don't particularly care to see anyone but my wife."

"That's sweet," she crooned.

"I try to give them privacy, but most times, it's nearly impossible. In fact, privacy isn't something we have a lot of around here. And Bella can shield me, but I'm so used to monitoring our surroundings that it makes me a little uncomfortable to be completely blocked off for long periods of time." I sat up straight. "Bella's the only one that can block me out if she wants to."

"Does she?"

"No, not really," I responded with a shrug. "She likes communicating that way. And she knows that her mind is the only one I really want to see."

Caroline smiled but stayed quiet, gazing down at her hands on her lap. She thought I was kind and that my love for Bella came across in everything I did or said, but she also knew that Archie spoke most highly of me, and that's why my opinion was valued to her.

"But she and Esme are right. You can ask me questions," I urged her. "You aren't bothering me. And I know that this whole thing hasn't been easy for you. It hasn't been that long since Bella was human."

Questions rattled around in her mind, but she sorted them out, finally gazing up at me. "Bella said to ask you... I mean... What was Archie really feeling when I lived here?"

I nodded, setting my elbows back down on my thighs. "You must understand that when we go too long without feeding, our minds are...jumbled. When we're fully fed – especially my family, where we drink from animals – our humanity, our human-like qualities are much easier to maintain. But when we're starving, we become less human and more..." I sighed, looking up to the ceiling. "Sorry, Bella... We become more monster, less civilized. She hates that term because she doesn't feel like, nor does she view us as monsters. But at that stage of thirst, there's no better description because we'd kill anything or anyone that crossed our path. It's instinctual.

"See..." I said, getting up to pace. "We can die. The word immortal is sort of misleading. But it's not easy, and someone else usually has to do it. In other words, we can't commit suicide. Poison, hanging, conventional weapons, even starvation won't work." I knelt in front of her. "I have a theory on Archie. I think he got so used to being hungry – because he was trying to kill himself – that he just learned to live with the pain, the burn. That makes him the strongest person I know. I think that by the time you and your parents came along, he was able to ignore most of what he wanted or needed. See, Archie, as a human, was taught that he couldn't eat unless he provided it himself by catching his own meal and that he didn't deserve good things. And he was also dealing with an enormous amount of fear and guilt. That multiplies when you change."

I smiled, looking down at my hands. "I also believe that life threw a wrench in the works when you got here because I think he felt something for you then, whether he could name it or not. He may have not even acknowledged it due to his... incoherent state. And he had absolutely _no one _to teach him. However, once again, instinct tends to lead us in certain situations. You felt protected and safe in this room because he was nearby."

"Why?"

I sighed, eying her for a moment. "You've heard the word mate tossed around here today. I know you have, so I don't have explain what that means. However, there is nothing...and I mean, _nothing_ that will stop a mated vampire from protecting what's his."

"His?"

"It sounds possessive, I know. And it is, but he's just as much yours as you are his. And even though you were very young at the time, there was a distinct possibility that on a baser level, Archie felt that. So when your mother threatened you, his need to protect you overrode everything. His hunger would've shot out of control the very second she accidentally cut herself. It was circumstances that were unfortunate, and they snowballed." I grimaced at that thought, but I waited until she met my gaze. "It wasn't aimed toward you. It definitely wasn't personal. It could've been anyone in that kitchen, and the blood would've drawn him in. It wasn't deliberate or an act of malice. It was simply Archie trying to survive. Most of us have to bear the guilt of similar mistakes for as long as we're alive. And that can be a very, very long time."

"But it was my _mom_, Edward," she whispered, gazing at me with red-rimmed, blue eyes that were filling with tears.

Reaching over to the table, I snatched a few tissues out of the box, pressing them into her hand. "I know, and I'm so sorry for that," I told her as she dabbed at her face. "There's nothing I can do or say that will take that sting away. The loss of a parent..." I shook my head and then tugged the piano bench closer so that I could sit in front of her.

"Do you remember your mom?" she asked.

I smiled sadly and nodded, glancing down at my hands. "Yes. Somewhat, anyway. She was very beautiful and kind. She was the one that made sure I learned to play the piano," I told her, tapping the instrument behind me. She knew my story from the book and from Esme, so I didn't really have to go into detail with what I said next. "Carlisle said that she held on as long as she could but then begged for him to save me. To save me any way he could. He's convinced at the end that she knew what he was...or at least that he was something..._more_."

"Do you ever wish that... I don't know," she sighed wearily. "Do you ever wish it had turned out differently?"

"I used to," I said honestly with a nod. "I've lived a very long life, seen a lot of things, and I did a lot of it alone. It was all empty until Bella came along. That's a fact. As much as I miss my parents, there's nothing I wouldn't do over to have her again. And again." I smiled when Caroline looked up at me, but I could hear my Bella's mind telling me that she loved me. "And my Bella...she's a big believer in fate. The big type of fate, like everything happens for a reason. She thinks Carlisle changed me so that I could wait for her, so that we'd be each others half. Always. _Forever_." I leaned on the last word, and Caroline gaped at me.

I handed her another tissue. "Look, Caroline, I'm not going to defend what Archie did. I can't defend anything any of us have done. However, his circumstances were so very different. Whereas I had guidance through Carlisle, Archie had no one. Imagine taking a toddler, dropping him off on a deserted island to fend for himself, to seek shelter, find food, and comfort himself. A toddler. Okay?" I asked her, and she nodded. "Now imagine that he doesn't eat fruit or fish, but he's a carnivore only. It's _his_ island, _his_ home, and _his_ hunting grounds. He learns to hunt by scent, tracking, and the sound of heartbeats. Now...drop a... I don't know... Shipwreck a boat on that island, what do you think would happen?"

Caroline's eyes drifted past me out the window, but she finally met my gaze. "Food is food."

"Yes, ma'am. Exactly," I sighed.

We didn't speak for a moment, though there was no silence because I could hear everyone in the house. Archie was about to crawl over Bella and our siblings to get down here, Carlisle and Esme were off the phone with Marcus and had listened to our conversation, and Rose and Emmett were back but had left Caroline and me alone. However, Rose's mind was thinking back to a similar conversation I'd had with her many, many years ago, prior to Emmett, about the acceptance of what we were.

_You're an amazing brother, Edward,_ she thought to me with a chuckle.

"I promise not to tell anyone you think so, Rose," I muttered just low enough Caroline couldn't hear me, and Rose's laugh made me smile.

Caroline's phone started to ring from her jeans pocket, and she sighed deeply, pulling it out. "My dad," she said, her brow furrowing. "Guess I'd better... He's getting on the plane in the morning."

I nodded, getting up to move my piano bench back.

"Um, Edward?"

"Hmm?" I hummed, looking over at her. Her finger was at the ready to answer her phone.

"Thanks. A lot," she whispered, smiling a little.

"No problem," I told her. "And thank you."

"For what?" she asked.

"For distracting me from all their thoughts. You wouldn't _believe_ what Emmett thinks about," I whispered dramatically, grinning when she laughed.

"Want me to tell you?" Emmett boomed from the other room.

"No!" we all yelled, including Caroline.

With a snort, she answered her call. "Hey, Dad," she greeted as she walked into Archie's room.

I gazed down at the piano, my fingers lightly touching the white keys, slipping up to touch the black ones. I tried to ignore Caroline's chat with her father. He was essentially reiterating her safety, his flight information, and then how long it would take him to drive from the Portland airport to Caribou. She listened and hummed in all the right places, but her mind was distracted.

Warm arms wrapped around my shoulders from behind, and a soft kiss was pressed to my cheek as the scent of freesias and strawberries wafted around me. I sighed in contentment at the feel of Bella's touch.

_That was a really sweet thing you just did, Edward,_ she told me silently, and I turned my head a little to face her. _Archie was worried at first, but he wanted so badly to trust you, and he wanted me to thank you. He said you didn't have to defend him._

"Yes, I did," I sighed, pulling her around until she stood between my legs. I swirled her ponytail around my hand, gazing up into her sweet, warm eyes. "If anyone in this house deserves a second chance...it's him. The rest of us...we knew better, we struggled, and we complained. He didn't. And he never knew anything different until six months ago."

Bella nodded, cupping my face. _That's very true, baby,_ she thought to me as her lips met mine.

It didn't last as long as I wanted, nor was it as deep as I wished it to be, but it was comforting nonetheless. We looked up when Carlisle walked in, followed by the rest of the family, including Archie. Carlisle gripped my shoulder on the way by, his mind filled with pride at how I'd handled Caroline, but we all came to a standstill when Caroline's voice echoed up from Archie's basement.

"Dad, can I ask you a question?" she asked him, sounding nervous yet determined.

My eyebrows shot up at what she was about to do, but she was just trying to clear up all the questions in her head. I pulled Bella to my lap, her back to my chest as I rested my chin on her shoulder.

"Yeah, Carrie," Tim answered.

"Did you love Mom?" she asked bluntly. "I mean, were you like _in love_ with her? Like forever and ever? Were you _happy_?"

Tim was silent on the other end of the line. And I would've given anything to have heard his mind at the moment because I was willing to bet that Tim and Lisa's marriage had been over long before they'd moved to Caribou. But I didn't know for sure.

"Why are you asking me this, Caroline?" he countered.

"I just want to know," she said with a huff. "Mr. and Mrs. Cullen... You'll understand when you meet them, and even though they're parents, they're still so... I don't know..._happy_. They laugh and kiss and play. And I don't remember you and Mom doing any of that."

Bella and I weren't the only ones in the room that shot a look over to Carlisle and Esme. They were smiling, but it was warm and soft and a little surprised. Carlisle picked up her hand and kissed the back of it.

Tim sighed deeply, a groan mixed in with it. "We were happy once, Carrie."

"Until me," she surmised.

"No, baby girl," he gushed, but stopped himself. "You'll understand when you get older that relationships morph and change and..."

"But they shouldn't," she argued. "Love is something that should be steadfast."

He sighed deeply again, clearly frustrated. "I loved your mom, baby. I always have. She was the most beautiful thing I'd ever set eyes on when I met her in college. It was the two of us against the world. We got married, I finished school and went to work, you came along, and suddenly, we were so damned busy that we hardly had time to say good night before falling into bed every night exhausted. I desperately wanted to find what we had, but not everything worked out that way. Your mother started to feel...trapped."

"Oh," Caroline said softly.

"Nothing I did for her helped," he admitted. "But never doubt for a moment that you weren't the best thing she ever gave me. Understand?"

"Yeah."

"She started taking out her misery on both of us, and when she first disappeared, I thought for sure that she'd up and left us. I've never told anyone that because I didn't want to believe she'd given up, and I didn't want you to remember her that way. You know?" He didn't wait for her to answer, because it sounded like he was purging himself of all of it. "Maybe she left, maybe something happened to her, but I can't regret getting you out of it, Carrie. You must understand that.

"I know I haven't been easy to live with, and I know that you're a lot like your mother. You're brave and smart and beautiful. I was just so afraid that you'd leave me, too, and you did, but I can hear that you needed this...this... Whatever this is that you did."

Caroline huffed a laugh. "If anything, I met the most amazing family, Dad. And they'll be here when I come back in the fall for school."

"Good. I can't wait to meet them. Mrs. Cullen sounds like a nice woman. Is she taking care of you?"

"Yeah, really good care of me. Though, it takes some getting used to being around this many siblings," she said with a giggle.

Emmett grinned, giving Jasper a fist bump. "She loves us. But seriously, what's not to love?"

I snorted, muffling it into Bella's shoulder. But none of us could help the sense of panic that came with knowing that according to Alice's visions, Caroline wouldn't see the university in Portland. And that frustrated Alice to no end. She still couldn't see why.

Caroline mentally noted that this was the most they'd talked in a very, very long time, and it seemed her father was thinking the same thing.

"I've missed this, but... You sound so grown up, Carrie. When did that happen?" he sighed. "Is there a boy I should be worried about?"

Bella chuckled. "He sounds like Charlie."

We all nodded in agreement.

Caroline laughed but groaned at the same time. "Do you _really_ want to know if there's a boy, Dad?" she asked wryly.

"Yes...no...maybe," he stammered. "Aw hell, Carrie. I'm not stupid, and I'm not blind. You're a beautiful girl. I know that some day, a guy is going to come along, and it'll all be over. He'll steal your heart. I just want you safe and happy. Okay?"

"When did you become so understanding?" she teased him, but her mind had landed on Archie, and she could barely concentrate.

"Don't push it, Caroline Lynn. You're still in huge trouble for this stunt," he huffed, "but I also had a long talk with your Aunt Trish this morning. She basically called me a jackass for hoarding you away for all these years. She told me that your behavior shouldn't come as a surprise. She also mentioned the name...Archie."

My eyes drifted to Archie, who had been silently listening and staring out the large windows over the backyard. He glanced up with wide, fearful eyes. I had to fight my smile because to him, meeting the girl's father was an enormous event. And he was still so unsure about everything between Caroline and himself that he was just about to go mad. He was trying so hard to wait patiently for her as time ticked closer and closer to her leaving, so it was all he could do not to throw himself at her feet and beg for forgiveness for the rest of eternity.

"I'm going to kill Tiffany," she murmured almost in a growl, but her father's laughter echoed out over the line. "He's...special, Daddy," she said softly, and we all spun to gaze at Archie, whose hands were shoved in his front pockets as his forehead softly thumped to the window in front of him. "It's still new, and he's extremely shy, but I've... This isn't like Grant."

Tim scoffed. "I never liked that boy. Too full of himself. He didn't treat you right."

A vase shattered under Archie's hands, and I set Bella on the piano bench before walking to him.

"It's not what you're thinking, Archie," I whispered quickly. "He didn't hurt her. He didn't..._touch_ her. Does that make sense?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. I didn't want to say the words aloud, but I would if I had to. Caroline was untouched as far as that went. "He was simply a boy that she went places with – movies, dances, outings with friends. And those were limited because of how strict her father was."

"Well, he's the opposite of Grant, Dad. Trust me," Caroline said firmly, confirming what I was trying to get across to Archie. "Grant doesn't even come close."

I grinned, smacking Archie's back when his eyes widened again. "Relax, Archie. She can't deny what she feels for you. She's been trying all day and has failed miserably. Just...give her time."

"But you will clean up your mess," Esme told him, smirking at him.

"Y-Yes, ma'am," he sighed, bolting from the room to grab the broom and dustpan.

"So I'm assuming I'm meeting this...Archie when I get there?" Tim asked.

"Yeah, but...be nice," Caroline commanded.

"Humph. We'll see, kiddo." He sighed and then spoke to someone on his end of the line. "I gotta go, Carrie. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon. I'll call when I land."

"'Kay, Dad," she said, and they ended the call. She debated over and over whether or not to come back upstairs, but she sat down on Archie's bed and wrapped her arms around her bent knees.

Archie frowned, looking up at me as he cleaned up the shattered ceramic. _She's not coming up, is she?_

I shook my head but squeezed his shoulder before walking back to the piano bench.

"We should play something," Emmett suggested as a way to take everyone's mind off everything.

Jasper nodded, looking to me. "You in?"

I kissed the side of Bella's head when she agreed with her brothers. "Yeah, I'm in."

~oOo~

**BELLA**

I often wondered what made Edward and the boys pick what songs they played. I knew that sometimes, it was to test their talents over something that was difficult to play – at least, Emmett liked to challenge himself. But then there were days like this, where they seemed to feed on the emotions and thoughts that were crowding around us.

Caroline stayed downstairs in Archie's room as the boys kept their songs fairly mellow. Edward shot me a wink when he played "Angels" by Robbie Williams – something he hadn't played since we lived in London.

I curled up on the loveseat with Alice, hoping to offer her some support as she continuously searched through her visions. I even offered to shield her from everyone to help her concentrate, but she declined, saying that she needed to be able to see everyone.

Jasper traded out his electric guitar for an acoustic. Edward selected the blue acoustic guitar I'd picked out in New York at the same time Kevin grabbed a bass guitar and plugged it into an amp. They spoke in quick, hushed instructions before Jasper started the song "Home" by Phillip Phillips.

_Hold on, to me as we go  
As we roll down this unfamiliar road  
And although this wave is stringing us along  
Just know you're not alone  
Cause I'm gonna make this place your home_

The folk music sound that came out of my boys was stunning. Their guitars blended sounds together at the same time that Emmett played a marching beat. But it was the full, perfect meshing of their four voices in flawless harmony that made me shake my head, only to realize that they were, in fact, sending out a message. I could've hugged my brothers to death and kissed Edward senseless.

_Settle down, it'll all be clear  
Don't pay no mind to the demons  
They fill you with fear  
The trouble it might drag you down  
If you get lost, you can always be found  
Just know you're not alone  
Cause I'm going to make this place your home_

Alice and I chuckled at them, along with the rest of the family, as they sang the chorus just one more time acapella, because it was the silly looks of pride that graced all four of their faces.

When the song was over, Jasper fiddled with strings of his guitar, but it was Kevin's sad face that Edward noticed. Kevin's eyes were focused on Archie, whose gaze was blank and unseeing out the window of the library. There wasn't a single one of us that didn't want to...help. Just _help_.

Edward nodded to no one in particular but hung the guitar back up before sitting back down to the piano. He locked gazes with me, patting the seat beside him. I got up and took my spot next to him.

_You okay, handsome?_ I asked, pushing a curl from his forehead and pulling him down so that I could press a kiss there.

His brow furrowed, but he smiled slightly as he gave me a nod and brushed his lips across mine. "I was going to play this for you once, but I think..." He shot a sad glance toward Archie. "I think it'll work better today."

I smiled at him. _You know, you could sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and I'd be cool with it._

He grinned, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. "Biased girl," he teased with a wink, causing a few snickers around the room.

_You love it._

He laughed. "I do."

His beautiful face sobered as his fingers found the keys. Watching Edward lose himself to music was always one of my favorite things because his face lost the stress, the worry, the pinch that came with hearing every-damn-thing around him. But his voice was smooth, a little sad, but soft and soothing as he played "And So It Goes" by Billy Joel.

_In every heart there is a room  
A sanctuary safe and strong  
To heal the wounds from lovers past  
Until a new one comes along_

The song had a lullaby feel to it, but really it was a plea or a prayer from one damaged heart to another. And once again, I fell that much more in love with my Edward.

_I spoke to you in cautious tones  
You answered me with no pretense  
And still I feel I said too much  
My silence is my self defense  
And every time I've held a rose  
It seems I only felt the thorns  
And so it goes and so it goes  
And so will you soon, I suppose_

I could see how this would have fit us at one point, but he was right; this was much more appropriate for Archie. And from the scent of salty tears that wafted up out of the basement bedroom, Caroline was hearing the words loud and clear.

_But if my silence made you leave  
Then that would be my worst mistake  
So I will share this room with you  
And you can have this heart to break_

Edward glanced over at me with that last line, and I nuzzled his jaw, smiling just a little. Even though he was singing for everyone else, he couldn't resist showing his love for me.

_And this is why my eyes are closed  
It's just as well for all I've seen  
And so it goes and so it goes  
And you're the only one who knows  
So I would choose to be with you  
That's if the choice were mine to make  
But you can make decisions too  
And you can have this heart to break  
And so it goes and so it goes  
And you're the only one who knows_

Esme started to get up once the song was over, but Edward shook his head no. She started to argue, but the soft, tentative sound of Caroline's voice echoed up.

"Archie?"

I buried my smile into Edward's upper arm as poor Archie's head spun so quickly, it was a blur. I hoped that calling him was a good thing, and Edward pressed a kiss to the crown of my head.

"Yes," he whispered, offering me his hand.

Everyone moved then, Carlisle giving Archie's shoulder a squeeze. "We'll give you some privacy."

I could tell by the panicked look on Archie's face that he couldn't decide whether privacy was a good idea or if he wanted us close just in case.

"Sweetie, see if you can get her to eat something. She missed lunch today," Esme instructed him, and he nodded dumbly.

"Hey, Ed, let's light up the fire pit outside. We'll bring the guitars, Esme can grill for Caroline, and we'll get away from the house for a bit," Jasper suggested, pointing through the library windows.

"Yeah, okay," Edward agreed, tugging my hand, but I hesitated. "It'll be all right, sweet girl," he soothed, brushing a stray hair from my face. His eyes were warm, comforting honey, but I could tell by the tenseness of his sharp jaw that he was feeling the same worry I was.

Frowning, I glanced between the bookcase door and Archie. Caroline could shatter him so easily, and my heart hurt for him, if that was the case. I wanted them both to be happy, but having watched Archie come so far, I knew for a fact he wouldn't survive a broken heart. He wouldn't survive the loss of her, especially if she never made it back for college.

Alice grabbed my other hand, her face vacant of any expression whatsoever, but we all made our way outside. The guys and Carlisle moved the deck chairs and the fire pit out to the middle of the backyard. Emmett toted the grill out along with it, starting the coals for Esme to cook for Caroline.

Alice and I planted ourselves in the chairs that faced the library window as wood was stacked into the fire pit and flames took a hungry hold on them. I laughed a little when Edward grabbed my foot, tugging me down the chaise so that he could situate himself behind me.

"We shouldn't listen," Adrian said with a chuckle and a slow shake of his head as Kevin sat next to him.

"He wants us to," Edward stated softly, his breath pushing out against my cheek. "He knows this conversation could make or break them. He doesn't want to screw it up."

My sisters, Esme, and I cooed sadly at that, but my eyes were unable to stay away from the library window. I could see Archie offer Caroline a seat, but instead of sitting next to her or in front of her, he knelt at her feet, almost in supplication. And they hadn't even spoken a word to each other.

There was another small part of me that felt for Caroline. It was the private part of my personality that worried that she'd hate that we were eavesdropping, but Archie warned her first thing.

"There's um... There isn't a lot of privacy around here," he told her softly, smiling just a bit. "We'd either have to send them all completely away...or leave the property. I'm sorry. It's their way of protecting me...and you."

We chuckled at his phrasing, but it was a harsh truth that we'd all grown used to. Jasper laughed lightly, plucking softly at his guitar.

Caroline nodded. "I get it. You guys can hear everything. And they're all great. I just... I had questions, and I wanted to talk to you."

"You can ask me anything, but I can't change the past, Caroline. I wish I could, but I can't," he told her, his sweet, sad face pleading with her silently.

She nodded again, finally locking gazes with him. "Do you remember me? Edward says... He said that your mind was a little blurry, and I just wondered..."

He smiled. "A little." He picked up her hand carefully and turned it over, his nose grazing across her wrist. "You smell the same. Like roses and sunflowers. That's the strongest memory I have. I remember berating myself that you were so young, but my thirst was...strong. And it wasn't even you that I...craved."

"It was my parents," she surmised, and he nodded guiltily.

"What I really wanted was to leave humans alone," he countered with an urgent tone to his voice. "I never, _ever_ wanted this. I tried to just...stop existing."

Caroline frowned at that, looking down at their hands. He hadn't let go of her. "What about now?" she asked him shyly.

He tapped the center of her palm with one finger. "Now, you hold my existence right here."

Her face blushed pink with that, but she sat forward a bit. "How? How is that possible when I only met you days ago? Okay...well, not counting when I was first living in this house."

"I don't know." He snickered softly, shrugging one shoulder. "It just is. It's happened to all of them." He jerked a thumb toward the backyard, but her eyes never left his face. "It's permanent and unwavering."

Edward sighed in my ear, but it sounded like he was just thinking aloud. "She feels it, too; she's just afraid to say it."

"Were you really protecting me?" she asked him, tilting her head a little.

"Yes," he said firmly. "If I didn't want you to fall at a movie theater, then it wouldn't surprise me that I didn't want anyone to hurt you – even if it was...your mother."

"My dad says she changed, that she was unhappy, that she took it out on us," she murmured, frowning down at their hands, but she traced her fingers along his. "Your skin is soft...but cool."

"Maybe she did change, but you need to understand, Caroline... I'd protect you..._again_," he said, almost forcefully. "That hasn't, nor will it ever, change. It's something you need to know."

Caroline seemed to chew on that for a moment and then took a deep breath. "I don't remember much of my mother, but what I do remember wasn't nice. I've wondered my whole life what it would be like if she'd stuck around, and I can't picture her in my life...in any capacity. Do you think I blocked her out on purpose?"

Archie's brow furrowed, but he shook his head. "I... I honestly don't know. You'd have to ask Carlisle."

"I did!" she gushed. "And he said that it was. Possible, that is. He said that due to my age then and my mother's possible...abuse. Fuck, I hate that word, but if that's what she did..." She trailed off for a few seconds but then picked right back up. "He said that it is possible that I just...forgot her. That her treatment of me was too much for my mind to handle. He also said that if her personality changed enough, it was my way of protecting myself from someone that should've loved me."

She took a deep breath, looking up to Archie's eyes. "I have a friend back in California; her name's Christy. She's in the foster care system because her own father tried to set the house on fire...while she was still in it. She was four years old at the time. She still has the scars." She swallowed nervously, but I noticed that their hands were still connected. "Her mom is in prison...because that same night of the fire? She killed the son of bitch."

"Oh, damn," Emmett growled, looking around at us. "She gets it, doesn't she? Like really, truly just..._gets it_."

Edward nodded fervently but held up a hand. He glanced quickly over to Alice, whose eyes were glazed over. She shook her head once, but we all turned our attention back to the couple in the library.

"What... What are you saying, Caroline?" Archie asked tentatively.

"I'm saying... I'm sorry I yelled at you. It was just so much, you know?" she asked, and he nodded for her to go on. "But I've talked with Esme and Edward and Carlisle... And I've done a lot of thinking. I even talked to my dad, but...you know that, don't you?" she asked, wearing a small smile.

"We heard you, yes," Archie answered with a nervous chuckle. "I told you... Not a lot of privacy."

I chuckled at how his sweet smile caused her to lose track of what she was saying for just a split second. Bringing Edward's hand up to my lips, I pressed a small kiss to the back of it. I knew that feeling, that brief moment of awe at the beautiful man, whose whole face lit up when he smiled. Edward sighed a little at my thoughts, pressing kisses to my head and pulling me closer with his free hand.

Caroline stood up, and Archie looked shattered at the prospect of her walking away, but I could tell she had pent-up energy that she needed to siphon off by pacing. She bit the inside of her cheek, gazing around the room, her hands shoved into the back pockets of the jeans she was wearing. Archie stood up, too, like the gentleman that he was, looking at her cautiously.

"You were here..." she stated, pointing toward the bookcase doorway that led to his room.

"Yes."

"And you were starving."

"Yes."

"Because you were afraid to leave..."

"Yes, I wanted to, but..."

She held up a hand, and shook her head. "Believe me, Archie, I've watched my dad wrestle with his own fears. I know how...debilitating they can be. And if what everyone says is true, then your fears were a million times worse."

Archie shut up but nodded, which was probably for the best.

"So..." She frowned and gazed around the library again. "So... You were here, you were starving, and you heard my mom threaten to hurt me, send me to bed without dinner, and it probably pissed you off, right?" she verified, but didn't wait for his answer. "Then, Karma, being the cold-hearted bitch that she is, caused my mother to cut herself. And you... You lost control. You lost control like the day that Edward met Bella...only instead of fighting it because she was his...mate, you went into protective mode and eliminated the enemy."

"Holy shit!" Kevin breathed with a slight laugh. "She really does get it."

Archie shoved his hands into his front pockets. "Yeah, that's about right, I guess. I'm so sorry."

"You protected me."

"Yes, but in all honesty, I didn't know what I was doing."

"Like Christy's mom protected her," she continued, ignoring his explanation.

He nodded again.

"And you weren't mad at me at the movies?"

"Oh God, no!" he gushed, stepping closer to her. "What I did...in public...I could've really screwed up! I was mad at _me_, Caroline. I swear."

Caroline didn't even flinch at his quick movement, but then again, she'd been around most of us all day, and we'd slowly started to act ourselves around her. She nodded at him, taking another deep breath.

"How did you do it? How did you stay here without going crazy?" she whispered, her face now filling with awe and a bit of sadness.

Archie shrugged. "I don't know. Time is different for us. It goes by quicker. Carlisle says that due to my thirst, I was probably in a trance-like state for a lot of the time. He says that I would most likely come out of it when humans were around."

"Does my blood bother you?"

"No." Archie shook his head adamantly. "No, it doesn't. Because to hurt you would kill me."

Caroline gasped, her eyes widening as she looked up at him.

"Does that scare you?" Archie asked, wincing a little. "It's too much, right? I want to be honest, but I don't want to frighten you."

"The only thing that scares me..." she whispered, looking pained as she sat back down, and Archie planted himself at her feet again, but she didn't finish that thought.

I turned to look at Edward, who simply said, "The only thing that scares her is leaving tomorrow, but she's not ready to admit that."

"Did Alice see me coming?" Caroline asked suddenly, and Archie looked surprised by the change in topic.

"Yeah, she saw you."

"Did she know that we... I mean, did she tell you that we'd feel..."

Esme cooed a little at that, and I smiled, laying my head back to Edward's shoulder.

"Feel like what?" Archie asked, and I could tell he was afraid of her answer.

"Like I can't breathe unless you're in the same room, or at least, nearby. Like I know you, but I really don't, and then that just makes me want to know more. Like I know I should be scared of all of this, but I'm really not, and that concerns me, too. And I feel... that if I leave tomorrow, I'll never see you again, and that scares me most of all."

"Yeah, that's about right," Kevin and I said at the same time, causing chuckles around the fire pit.

"That scares me, too," Archie admitted, his brow furrowing.

Caroline reached up to rub the worry away from between his eyebrows, I had to look away from such a intimate moment because she leaned in a little.

"Damn," Jasper breathed, shaking his head to clear it. "Archie's scared to death, and she's pushing a helluva lot of emotions right now."

I giggled into Edward's neck at the tidal wave that Jasper was projecting. There was fear, curiosity, love, and now...lust. Lots of it. It was swirling around us like a tornado.

"Wow," Rose said with a chuckle. "And I thought Edward was bad when he first saw Bella..."

Edward growled low, his eyes darkening. "Really, Rose? You _really_ want to have this conversation?" he asked her, smirking at her deep, full laughter. "You and Emmett destroyed a small forest...and cars, and walls, and buildings..."

Emmett grinned proudly. "Hells, yes, we did!"

I laughed into Edward's skin, thinking, _Shut up now, baby. We've done plenty of our own damage...forests, cars, walls, and buildings. And it was fan-freaking-tastic._

Edward chuckled, burying into my neck. "Indeed, Mrs. Cullen," he whispered with a grin against my earlobe.

I could tell that the emotions were affecting all of us, but I could also hear Archie stop Caroline, which made me turn toward the library window again. They were forehead to forehead, their breathing heavy.

"Caroline, I..." He stopped, his head dropping a little as he took a deep breath. "You should eat something. I know Esme's cooking for you. Would you like to join everyone outside?"

I smiled, seeing the gentleman in Archie that I knew and loved as Caroline nodded.

"No, he's scared," Edward chuckled.

I tsked, waving him off. _Leave him alone. We found our way. They will, too. At least they're talking. At least she understands that he was protecting her._

"Archie?" she whispered, gazing up at him, but they were still very close.

"Hmm?" he hummed, completely distracted by the girl in front of him.

"Will you be here in the fall when I come back?" she asked him softly.

Archie looked pained at the question, but he was already nodding. "I'm not going anywhere."

We all looked to Alice, who was shaking her head in frustration. "Nothing has changed!" she growled. "I don't get it. I still see her as one of us before the summer!"

Edward sighed but turned his attention back to Archie. "We're not accounting for something, Alice," he mused aloud. "There's a decision you're just not seeing."

"Maybe," she huffed, folding her arms across her chest as Jasper held her close.

He bent to her ear, saying, "You know, darlin', if there was an accident, and Caroline was hurt or whatever, she would either die or have to be changed...and that wouldn't be something you could see now because it's a spur-of-the-moment thing."

Alice froze for a moment, her eyebrows raising up as she looked to Edward. It was something to consider. And I shot Jasper a wink and a smile because I knew he was thinking of my birthday party that went terribly awry.

If Caroline was embarrassed by having all of us hearing their conversation, I wouldn't know it, because she made her way out to the fire pit with her head held high. Her hand was firmly gripping Archie's, but before Emmett could open his big, fat mouth to tease them, I shoved him out of his chair.

"Don't!" I snapped, smirking when he collapsed onto the ground in laughter. "You, either," I told Kevin, who was opening his mouth to speak.

Edward's head fell back with his laugh, as did Carlisle's.

Esme snorted at us all but guided Caroline to the table, setting a plate in front of her that was full of grilled chicken and vegetables. "Ignore them."

"No, it's fine," Caroline said with a chuckle. Though, her eyes widened. "Bella!"

I heard Emmett before I saw the small stick aimed my way. I not only slammed my shield down around Edward and myself, but I caught the stick in the middle of it so that it looked like it was hovering in midair.

"Whoa," Caroline breathed, looking to Edward. "You weren't kidding. That _is_ awesome!"

Edward grinned with pride and love, reaching out to poke a finger at the stick. "Yeah, it really is."

I narrowed my eyes at my biggest brother, who was picking his proud self up off the ground. "Have you lost your mind, Emmett?" I growled, rolling my eyes as his grin taunted me. "You," I said, pointing a finger at him. "You'd better run."

The whole family cracked up as Emmett bolted at the same time I launched myself off Edward's lap. Emmett's teasing laugh echoed out of the forest, from the tree tops, and from the back of the house as I gave chase. I caught up to him just as we rounded the side of the house, sending my shield out to trap his legs. He was still laughing when I pinned him to the ground.

I couldn't help but grin at him because it felt good to behave normally, without having to constantly restrain every movement.

Chuckling, I said, "You just cost Rose and Jasper fifty bucks."

With a snort, he reached up and tossed me off him. "Cheater," he accused, but he shot me a wink.

We walked back to the fire pit just as Edward tucked his money into his pocket. "Nice job, love," he said, pulling me back down onto the chaise with him.

"Thank you!" I sighed contentedly.

Caroline looked amused, but she suddenly gasped, looking to Archie.

"What?" he asked her, with a frightened expression.

"I just realized that my dad will be here in like twenty-four hours," she said sadly. "What am I gonna do?"

Esme sat beside her, tucking a stray blonde lock behind her ear. "What do you mean, sweetheart?"

"I mean... I know I have to go, but..." She looked down at her plate, poking at her food with a fork.

Edward shifted a little, saying, "There are ways to stay in contact, Caroline. We're not abandoning you."

"Absolutely not!" Esme soothed, urging her silently to eat. "We'll figure something out. I promise. Besides, I don't think Archie will last until the fall without seeing you."

Archie looked wide-eyed with embarrassment, and Caroline blushed at that statement.

"How is that?" she asked no one in particular. "How come I feel comfortable here when I barely fit in at home?"

Linking my fingers with Edward's, I said, "Because when you find that one person, you belong where they are. You were _meant_ to come here."

I knew how she felt. I knew that it was sudden and confusing, but altogether amazing. It was like finding where you were supposed to be. I knew I was meant to leave Phoenix and move in with Charlie. I didn't know why at the time, but it was something that felt right. Had I not done it, had I stayed with my mother, I would've never met the most beautiful person, most amazing soul. And that thought made Edward hug me closer.

We were quiet for a moment, but my family nodded in agreement.

"Perhaps, Caroline," Carlisle said with a smile, "we can convince your dad to let you visit over the summer."

Alice and I locked gazes with that decision, but she simply shook her head no. Again, the visions stayed the same.

She laughed, though her brow furrowed. "Good luck with that. I have a feeling I'll be grounded until the end of time."

Esme grinned. "I'm told I can be very persuasive, Caroline." She patted her hand. "Don't you worry."

"'Kay," she said with a smile and a quick glance to Archie.

"Until then," Emmett boomed, clapping his hands together. "Eat up, Carrie! We'll make the best of the time we've got left! Yeah?" he asked her, giving her a sweet wink, and I could see that he was in big brother mode...big time.

She laughed. "Okay. What are we doing?"

He laughed, rubbing his hands together at the same time Edward groaned. "I don't know, but I'll come up with something awesome!"

Carlisle snorted, shaking his head. "I'm sure you will, Em. Let's just hope the house is still standing when it's all over."

* * *

**A/N... These two are tentative, at best, and they're ****_undeniably_**** drawn to each other, but at least Caroline has heard everything, accepted that the past can't be changed, and she took her time trying to figure it out, too. She needed to have all three of those conversations...Edward, her father, and Archie.**

**Like I said, you'll either hate that she's accepted it or love that it all makes sense to her. Personally, I hated Lisa Dixon the very second I wrote her. ;)**

**Songs added to the playlist:**

"**Angels" by Robbie Williams (and yes, this one is on the ****_An Angels' Promise_**** playlist, too, which JenRar is still trying to get back up, but have ****patience.)**

"**Home" by Phillip Phillips**

"**And So It Goes" by Billy Joel**

**Chapter 34 is already off to JenRar for red pen attacks, so it will post on Wednesday. You can however, take a breath, 'cause things lighten up a bit. Okay? I'll see you next time... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N... I love you guys. Seriously. :)**

**You all trudged through the last few emotional chapters like champs! This chapter is just a little easier. Some fun, some lemons, some girl talk. So take a deep breath, let it out, and smile. ;)**

**Not a lot of questions this time around. In fact, I won't even hold you up. See me at the bottom...**

* * *

Chapter 34

**EDWARD**

Hands flew to the hems of shirts, while others blindly reached for the bedroom iPod or locked our bedroom door. I needed to block out the rest of the house...or at least drown out the sounds we were making. Words were barely uttered between us as our lips stayed attached. Shoes and socks were scattered across the room, shirts were yanked roughly over heads, and jeans were savagely shoved down, if not ripped off completely. I hardly had time to register sweet lilac underwear before they, too, were made to disappear.

I'd never wanted a human to go to sleep so badly in all my life, but now that she had, lust had filled the house. I knew Jasper couldn't help it. I also knew that Caroline and Archie were new at trying to get a handle on everything they were feeling, but damn, she'd played video games for _hours_, only to then ask Archie to play chess. And _that_ had resulted in way too many sexual thoughts between them.

Archie was trying his damnedest to be a gentleman, but having Caroline accept him, having her blue eyes dance over him at every possible opportunity had caused his emotions to spiral out of control. I understood it because Bella and I had done the exact same thing, not to mention every other couple in the house, but all of it at once was driving the entire family crazy.

The soft, smooth, romantic notes of Nat King Cole's "I Remember You" wafted out of our speakers. As much as I wanted to revel in the words of the song I'd added most recently, I couldn't. I needed skin, more kisses, just...more. I needed long, strong legs wrapped around my head, my hips – it didn't matter which. I needed to touch, be touched, and I needed the push and pull that only Bella could give me.

_Invisible fingers suddenly appeared at a flushed sleeping human cheek, lightly brushing blonde hair out of the way..._

_Blonde hair draped across blue sheets as a large frame loomed over..._

_Lips and tongue tracing over multiple immortal scars...hands weaving into black, spiky hair to hold them there..._

_Strong male hands gripped and pulled at broad, masculine shoulders, chest to back, as whispers of now and ready were called out while fingers fumbled with lubricant..._

_Honey-colored hair was wrapped around a strong hand from behind, wrenching back to expose the sensual curve of a neck..._

My snarl was loud, long, and low as I lowered Bella down into the middle of our bed. Seeing Esme and Carlisle together was my breaking point.

"If you love me, use that damn shield, Bella!" I growled low, pressing my forehead to hers as I tried to ignore every member of our family in situations I never needed to see...and from every angle.

"Okay, okay," she panted, placing her hands flat on either side of my face. "Shh, I've got you, baby," she soothed against my lips.

The beautiful mental silence that descended upon me made me practically collapse onto Bella in relief. Dropping to my elbows, I thanked her over and over, placing kisses on random soft spots of skin – behind her ear, along the slope of her neck, across her sweet-tasting collarbone, and finally, over my scar – my immortal claim on her.

She arched up into me in a graceful arc, trying to fight her smile and control her sounds at the same time.

"So not funny, Isabella," I said with a dramatic gruffness to my voice, which only resulted in a giggle escaping my sweet, silly girl.

I smiled against the top of her breast because I truly loved that sound, even if sometimes, it was at my own expense. Bracing on one hand so that the other was free to touch, cup, pinch, I loomed over her, losing myself in her deep, dark eyes. Bella's nipple peaked tightly when my thumb swirled around it.

"I don't need their lust to want you. I _always _want you. But I only want to see you," I whispered, my eyes flickering from her stunning, aroused face to what my hand was doing. "_Your_ mind, _your _body, _your_ orgasm." I leaned down to let my mouth take over where my fingers once were. "I only want to hear _your_ voice, sweet, delicious girl," I continued, switching from one breast to the other and keeping my eyes trained on hers as I suckled at her skin. "I only want to hear you call _my_ name, and you can...no one will care."

"Edward..."

"Yessss," I hissed against her bellybutton. "Just like that, baby." I slipped lower, nudging her legs farther apart. "And I only want to feel, sense, and taste _your_ lust, my beautiful Bella..." I swirled my tongue along the scar I'd left on her inner thigh not too long ago. "I just want to concentrate on you... Just you."

I smiled when her hips bucked up, seeking my mouth that was so close, yet so far away. Placing a hand flat on her belly, I urged her back down, rubbing gently. With her shield in place, I could slow down, revel in what was spread out before me. The lust-filled haze that had clouded everything in my head was now cleared, allowing even the music to settle around me.

_I remember you  
You're the one who made  
My dreams come true  
A few kisses ago_

_I remember you  
You're the one who said  
"I love you, too, I do"  
Didn't you know?_

I swirled my tongue over the super-soft skin that resided just below her navel and then lightly bit each hip bone before crawling back up to her sweet face. Settling beside her, I slid my thigh between her legs, purring at how wet she was for me already. A small, warm hand ghosted up and down my back at the same time the other hand slid slowly up my stomach and over my chest, finally coming to rest at the back of my neck to pull me closer.

"So beautiful," I whispered, grazing the backs of my fingers across her cheek.

The sweetest of smiles graced her features. "I love you, Edward."

Those were my favorite four words in the history of the English language. They were simple and perfect, yet carried the weight of so much meaning in them. We said them a thousand times a day – laughing, teasing, comforting, and just...because. It was all in _how_ we said them. Sometimes, it was dry and sarcastic, with a meaning of "you're lucky I love you, 'cause you're an idiot, Edward." Other times, it was "whatever put that frown on your face shouldn't matter, so remember I love you, Edward." But my favorite was how she'd just said it – in a whisper, like it was a secret, filled with an overflowing amount of emotion that had to be released in some way. She couldn't _not_ say it.

Tracing her bottom lip with my thumb, I sighed contentedly as she played with my hair at the back of my head. "Love you, too, my sweet girl."

Leaning down, my lips swept over hers – top, bottom, left, right. She whimpered softly, a sound that made a little of my regained control slip just a bit. Tongues slid together, my own moan escaping. The fingers of one of my hands wove into her hair at the same time the other hand sought out the soft skin of her breast, her sides, and her ass, only to squeeze and pull her closer, trapping my steel-hard dick between us. But that movement caused her swollen and sensitive core to grind up my thigh, eliciting the growling purr that I loved to hear.

"Yeah?" I asked her, pressing my forehead to hers and hitching her leg higher around my waist, only to cup her sweet ass one more time.

Her hips rolled again, causing her mouth to hang open just a little and her breath to catch in her throat. In her mind, my thigh was hard, sexy, muscular, and giving her just the right about of friction.

"Oh, baby, you want to come this way?" I asked her, dragging my teeth across the curve of her shoulder. This time, I guided her hips with a little more pressure while my thigh came up.

Bella nodded, and she rolled her hips again. Her whole body shuddered, her fingers now securing themselves into my hair and onto my shoulder. Her breathing sputtered out in stilted pants, and she kissed me senseless. My cock twitched between us when her grinding, her kissing, and her gripping hands didn't let up. Something about my girl using any part of me to make herself feel good, to make herself come caused a possessive growl to rumble through my chest, which was fitting because the song changed to the next one I'd added.

"You Belong To Me" by Dean Martin wafted out of the speakers, one again drowning out the rest of the house and activities.

Trailing long, nipping, open-mouthed kisses down her throat to her ear, I whispered, "I can feel how wet you are, Bella. You're close, too."

It was the truth; her arousal was dripping down my leg with each clench of her sweet pussy. And damn it, I wanted to tell her that, but a houseful of family made me monitor my words.

As it was, I still couldn't help encouraging her. "Come for me, love. All over me," I purred in her ear. "I want to feel you against my skin. Don't you want to come for me, baby?"

"Yes! So close," she agreed in a hiss, grasping either side of my face. Her teeth nipped at my lips as we shared the same breath. Our eyes locked – onyx to onyx – and our lips barely touched as she got closer and closer to the edge. "Please, Edward..."

_More_, she thought loudly to me, showing me exactly what she wanted. And at that moment, I was never so grateful that she allowed me into her amazing mind.

My lips curled up into a wicked smile as the hand that was cupping her bottom slid toward her center. Gathering a little of her arousal, I swirled a finger around her other entrance and gave her just enough pressure to cause her head to fall back and her breathing to stop. But her whole body started to quake.

"More?" I asked almost breathlessly, giving her just a touch more pressure.

"Shit," she gasped and nodded against my forehead, gripping my hair almost painfully, but I couldn't find it in me to care at the moment.

I guided her once, twice, three times over my thigh, never stopping my kisses to her neck or my touches to her ass. Bella in full orgasm was a sight to behold, especially when it snuck up on her. I felt her core clench, her fingers twitch, and her breathing stop, and with a gentle thrust of my finger, I sank into her two knuckles deep. My name never sounded as good as when she chanted it in a whispered prayer.

"Mmm," I purred, unable to keep my own hips from pushing against her stomach. "That's my girl," I praised in a whisper, nipping at her still open mouth. "I love it when you come on me..." I admitted aloud. It took a few minutes for Bella to come down from her high, and when her eyes focused back onto my face, I smiled. "There she is."

She huffed a laugh, and it was sexy and husky and sated, but I could tell she was far from being through with me. "God, baby, it's official..." she murmured, kissing me sweetly. "You feel amazing..._everywhere_."

"So do you, sweet girl," I told her with a smile and a wink, rubbing the cheeks of her ass for emphasis, which made her grin.

Pushing at me, she rolled me onto my back so she could straddle me. Bracing her hands on my shoulders, she leaned down to kiss me, but the feel of her pussy sliding up and down my now almost painful erection made me growl low.

_I'll be so alone without you  
Maybe you'll be lonesome too and blue  
Fly the ocean in a sliver plane  
See the jungle when it's wet with rain  
Just remember til you're home again  
You belong to me_

Bella registered the words of the song and sat up a little, gazing down at me. "Feeling a little old-school, are we?" she teased softly, but the warmth of her eyes, the question in her mind told me she heard what the song meant.

"I'm not sure I appreciated them then as much as I can now," I answered her honestly.

Singers – or the old crooners, as they were called – back then were the epitome of romance, love, and sweeping a girl off their feet. Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Bing Crosby were the kings of it all back then. However, as much as I had appreciated their talent, none of it had meant anything to me. Until Bella.

"I see," she whispered, leaning down to kiss me again. "And you picked a song about separation because..." It was her gentle way of asking what the hell I was thinking, bringing up the past.

"Because," I said, grasping either side of her gorgeous face and kissing her. "Because no matter where I went...you were still home to me. You still are, even if we're in the same damn room. And you would've always belonged to me."

She smiled again, humming sweetly against my lips. "I love you, Edward."

There was again, the inability not to say it. And I held her gaze for a beat more.

"Bella, love... Please..." I whispered in a begging tone, my hands unable to not grip her and grind her over me.

My girl lifted just enough so that I could guide myself to her entrance. The moan of relief and want that escaped me as she sank down over me would have been embarrassing had she not let out the same strangled noise. She was warm and wet, gripping me like a hot vise, and she felt like sin and home all rolled into one singular feeling.

My human girl had been awkward and clumsy – traits that endeared her to me. But my immortal Bella was graceful and strong as she rode me. She was fluid motion and sex incarnate, doing what came naturally to make me and herself feel good. She was dark eyes and red lips, grasping hands and strong thighs, and her hair fell about her shoulders like a wild mane. She looked dangerous, ethereal, and the essence of everything I'd ever wanted within hands reach. And yes, my hands reached...and touched and pinched and groped. They flattened against her stomach so that I could feel myself moving inside of her, they gripped her ass to move her faster, harder, and they trailed over peaked nipples, immortal scars, finally swirling over her swollen bundle of nerves.

Bella leaned back, bracing herself on my thighs and opening herself completely to me. There had never been a more perfect sight than watching my cock move in and out of her. As she lost herself to the feel of us, her head fell back with another orgasm, and her shield slipped just a little, allowing the tidal wave of lust that was filling the house to flood me. The entire lot of us were lost to it, including Archie, who had fled from the house and into the woods.

Shifting quickly and rolling us until I was looming over her, I forced Bella's gaze to mine. "Please, please... Shield us, baby," I panted, nipping at her lips. "Please? I just want you..."

"Sorry, sorry," she chanted weakly, but I cut her off with a kiss as I drove into her harder, faster, deeper.

I didn't acknowledge her apology, nor did I want it. I simply couldn't handle seeing that many couples in ways I shouldn't...not all at once. It was sexual overload – and disturbing, if I were to be honest. Before Bella, I would've copied Archie, running from the house to save my sanity. But as it was, I wasn't alone, and all I wanted was just...Bella. And her talent gave that to me, without questioning it.

Firm fingers gripped my hair, pulling my face from her breast to hers, at the same time another hand grabbed my ass to thrust harder.

"Come, Edward," she commanded, bringing my forehead to hers so that we were eye to eye. "You're so close, baby. My turn to feel it."

I didn't want the bliss to end, but her voice, her touch owned me. With two more thrusts, I came with a long, low, loud growl that ended in a satisfied purr as I kissed her softly – each eye, her nose, her lips, the tip of her nose, and finally, her forehead.

"Thank you," I whispered against her wrinkling brow. "You have no idea what I was seeing."

She snorted, and it turned into a giggle. "Don't tell me. I never, _ever_ want to know."

"Me, either," I sighed, smiling when she giggled again. "Unfortunately, I'm scarred for eternity."

"Poor thing," she crooned, though I could hear the teasing tone in it. "I'm sure there's not enough brain bleach for an occasion such as this."

I was pouting and shaking my head no before she even finished that statement. "Nope. Not at all."

"I'll just maintain my shield, then," she snorted.

Using just my hearing, I listened to the house. My family was still otherwise occupied in various stages, and the healthy thump of Caroline's heart told me that she was still sleeping soundly, but I couldn't hear Archie.

"Actually, love, lift it just for a moment," I told her, shifting us so that I was leaning back against the headboard of the bed. Gathering her to my side, I dropped a kiss to the top of her head. "Damn," I said, flinching at what hit me, but I was searching for one person. Once I located him just inside the back woods, I murmured, "Okay, okay," in sympathy for him. He was also...occupied.

She snorted, slamming her shield down around us. "That bad? I mean, I hear them, but..."

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "It's a vicious cycle," I told her. "Jasper can't help it, but that's not the worst part."

She nodded, kissing my chest before propping up to look at me. "Mom and Dad?" she asked with a laugh.

"Yes!" I cracked up, my head thumping back to the wall. "As if I didn't see it enough for the last eighty years."

"Well," she chirped, scooting up to kiss my chin, "now you have me!"

Grinning at the pure truth of that statement, I kissed her lips softly and pulled her back on top of me. "Yes. Yes, I do."

~oOo~

**BELLA**

"We won't be gone long, sweet girl," Edward vowed, lifting me up and setting me on the bathroom vanity. "Archie needs to hunt, and Carlisle is using it as an opportunity to talk to him before Caroline wakes up."

"Where will you go?" I asked, my eyes raking over his bare chest as he stood between my legs in nothing but a black pair of jeans that fit him like a damn glove.

"Not far. I promise," he stated, kissing my forehead.

Droplets of water still clung to his freshly showered skin. My fingers skimmed over the soft trail of hair that disappeared behind denim, only to tease the skin of the V on either side of his stomach. With flat hands, I reveled in abs, pecs, and finally, the back of his neck, pulling his face to mine. He smelled divine; his skin was still warm, and his hair was still wet. Maybe there was still a remnant of lust floating around the house, because Edward seemed absolutely irresistible. Or maybe it was just me.

He smiled into the kiss at first, slowly stepping closer and claiming my mouth with his tongue. That amazing masculine moan met my ears as my fingernails lightly scratched down his strong back. Edward slowed the kiss down, cupping my face and pulling back to look me in the eye. His expression was a mix of pain and smugness.

"Bella, please... I can't tell you no. Ever," he begged in a whisper, nuzzling my nose with his own. "But Carlisle wants me with them."

Grinning, I kissed him roughly before pulling back farther. "Sorry."

He laughed, and it was sexy and deep. "No, you're not. And I don't want you to be," he stated, still chuckling.

I couldn't help but giggle, but I reached over to grab a towel. I rubbed it over the top of his head, drying the excess water. When I was done, I ran my fingers through it, giggling that the only time it could be tamed was when it was still damp.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Believe me, I know."

I smiled and bit at my bottom lip, just gazing up at him. "I love it, so stop bitching."

"I stopped..._complaining_ in 1922," he snorted, rolling his eyes again at having to clean up his language when it was just us and shrugging a shoulder when I burst out laughing. "I just accepted that it would always be...that." He pointed to his head as the locks – now much drier – fell the way they usually did, with a casual, sexy carelessness, but it was paired with the most adorable disgruntled face as he studied himself in the mirror.

Laughing again, I grasped his face. "God, I love you, Edward. Go, before I tell Carlisle he can't have you."

Edward shot me a wink and his crooked grin and then snatched his dark green shirt off the hanger, buttoning it up swiftly before rolling up the sleeves. Quickly, he braced his hands on either side of my legs and kissed me roughly.

"I won't be long. We aren't going far. I'll be back before you can miss me," he vowed again, waiting until I nodded. He was making sure I knew our connection wouldn't be tested, that we wouldn't be in pain. "Love you, my sweet, beautiful girl."

With one more brief kiss, he was out of the bathroom, through the bedroom door, and down the stairs. I sighed in defeat, hopped down to the floor, and padded out into the bedroom to watch out the window as Carlisle led all the boys, except for Kevin, through the backyard and into the woods. It was still dark, and the sun wouldn't be up for at least another hour. Once they stepped into the trees, they sped off.

I could hear the telltale steady beat of Caroline's heart as she continued to sleep. I could hear activity all over the house with everyone else left behind. There was a lazy feel to the movements, which made me smile and shake my head. The night before had been...crazy, to say the least.

Poor Jasper hadn't been able to contain all that Caroline and Archie had been feeling. It escalated to a point where we all were just about to claw out of our own skin for her to go to bed. Hell, Emmett and Rose didn't even bother to wait. Edward was right; it was all a vicious cycle. Jasper could only push out what he was being hit with, so that, in turn, caused the rest of us to ramp up the lust level. Poor Edward, though, always got the worst of it. It was one thing to feel it but a completely different thing to see it through everyone's minds.

I groaned, shaking my head to myself as I dressed in a pair of jeans and a sweater as I remembered him begging for my shield. I couldn't imagine what he'd seen...nor did I want to. Very rarely did he ask for it, so it had to have been mental overload.

I gazed around our room, smirking at how clothes were scattered everywhere. Edward's jeans were shredded, but mine had survived, which was a surprise due to how we'd behaved. Gathering up the clothes that had endured, not to mention the basket in the bathroom, I toted it all downstairs to start a load of laundry. Kevin and Esme were already in the kitchen when I plopped my basket down onto the table.

"Oh good! By all means, Goddess, go first," Kevin gestured with a dramatic bow toward the washer and dryer. "I hate laundry. Maybe I can push it off until tomorrow."

Grinning, I rolled my eyes at him. "Give it here, Kev. I'll wash yours with ours," I told him, and he gasped, falling at my feet. "_But_...you're folding with me."

"Anything!" he cried, wrapping his arms around my legs.

I gave a laughing Esme a dry look, which made her kiss my cheek. "You're his hero, Bella."

"Actually, Jasper's the real hero," Kevin snorted, standing up before raising his eyebrows up and down lasciviously. "I should buy him something nice."

Cracking up at Esme's nod, I went about separating colors and whites, adding Adrian's and Kevin's clothes into the two piles. Once the first load was washing, I joined the two of them at the counter.

"What do you think? Flowers?" Kevin asked with a grin.

"This was your first time with Jasper losing control, huh?" I snorted, shaking my head at him.

"You can't tell me that wasn't...a boost," he argued.

Smirking, I looked between Kevin and Esme, who was looking overly innocent. "It's fantastic, but I'm not sure Edward would agree." They both froze, which caused a laugh to bark out of me. "Oh ho! You forget he can see everything. Poor thing just about lost his mind."

"That's kinda hot – in a voyeuristic sort of way," Kevin mused, but then his nose wrinkled. "Except...Heavy E isn't that kinky."

"Well, he doesn't like to watch his family, if that's what you're asking," I said with a chuckle, neither confirming, nor denying Edward's kinkiness level – which was a force to be reckoned with all on its own.

Esme sighed, fighting her smile. "My poor boy," she cooed. "He's so sweet never to say a thing about it." She slid her laptop over to me. "Sweetheart, do me a favor, and check Mr. Dixon's flight. Make sure it's still going to be taking off on time in a few hours."

"Sweet," Kevin scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Just imagine all the twisted information that Edward has in that head of his. A hundred and fifteen years of every sexy idea anyone ever thought around him..."

Esme laughed and looked to me.

I simply grinned, focusing on the computer screen. "I'm a lucky, _lucky_ girl," I sang, chuckling when they both laughed.

By the time the sun was coming up, I had checked on Tim Dixon's flight, which was running on time so far, and verified his rental car. I'd also answered a few emails from home while I was sitting there, but I knew I needed to call Charlie soon.

Kevin and Esme discussed several different topics – Archie and Caroline being one of them – as Esme prepared not only Caroline's breakfast, but her lunch, as well. She'd thought out loud about making dinner for all of us, considering Tim's impending arrival, but she wasn't sure he'd stay.

"Bet he doesn't set a foot inside this house," I muttered as I shopped online with Kevin looking over my shoulder. I grinned when he pointed to different colors and styles of lingerie. "Pink or green?"

"Yup. Both," he answered with a nod. "Heavy E will love both, most assuredly. And I'm with you... I don't think that man will be brave enough to come inside."

Alice and Rose wandered into kitchen.

Alice pointed over my shoulder to the screen from behind me. "You'll want the black and the silvery gray, too. Trust me," she said in that all-knowing, sing-song way.

Giggling, I added them to the cart before getting up to pull out the first dry load of clothes. When I sat back down, Rose had added four more sets to my order.

She grinned. "Definitely the cobalt blue," she said with a wink.

She'd also added two floral sets and a red set, and I nodded in approval, finally checking out and closing Esme's laptop.

"Mr. Dixon comes inside the house, but he doesn't stay long. He'll say he wants to get on the road, but really, he still fears this place," Alice said knowingly and turned to Esme. "So don't bother with dinner."

"Okay," Esme sang. "Good to know."

"So what was this boys' club meeting about?" Rose asked with a laugh.

"Archie," Esme responded softly. "Carlisle thought he'd be more comfortable around the men discussing what happened last night."

"Oh," Kevin and I both murmured.

Grimacing, I checked on Kevin's and my clothes again. My thoughts drifted to Edward, wondering how awful it had to have been as an un-mated vampire to be in a house filled with the amount of lust like the night before. It was difficult to concentrate even when we were coupled off, so I couldn't fathom what Edward had been through over the years. And that led me to Archie. I hadn't even given his situation a second thought, which made me feel just terrible. There was a part of me that felt I should apologize, but knowing Archie the way I did, it would only embarrass him further.

"Damn," I sighed, sitting back down. "I forgot all about Archie."

"Yeah," Rose agreed with a grimace. "It's Edward all over again."

"Exactly," Esme stated firmly, "which is why your father took the boys out." She looked to me with a warmth and sadness to her eyes. "Edward wouldn't speak of this before you came along. He sort of buried his head in the sand about it, and we allowed it. He became rather bitter about being alone and having to endure nights like last night, and Carlisle doesn't want that to happen with Archie."

"Edward ignored it...avoided it," Alice added with a nod. "But really, I suppose we should've talked about it."

I was shaking my head before she finished. "That's not Edward. To speak of it would be admitting what he saw, and he hates that he invades your privacy, especially like that. I'm not sure you would've gotten him to talk; he would've considered the topic inappropriate. Archie's at least different in the fact that he doesn't _see_ everything." I tapped my temple.

"Hmm, that's true, too," Rose concurred but looked up when Caroline's heartbeat changed. "She's waking up."

Just about that time, her phone rang, and she answered it sleepily. It was her father, letting her know that he was just about to leave for the airport, which meant it was super early for him on the west coast.

Her heartbeat changed again, signaling that her anxiety had kicked up a bit. For a split second, I wondered if she was nervous about her father and whatever possible punishment she would receive for running away, or that she was sad about leaving. Nudging Kevin, I gestured that we needed to finish our laundry, so we piled it all up into two baskets and took it upstairs to Edward's and my room as Alice and Rose said they were running a quick errand into town.

"Come, my laundry-hating friend," I teased Kevin, spreading the clothes out on my bed.

"Don't judge me. I'm just...better at other things," Kevin said with a salacious grin.

I snorted. "I bet."

The two of us chatted aimlessly for a few minutes as I stored away the bigger stuff in my closet and dresser, separating our clothes from Kevin's and Adrian's. It had been a long time since just Kevin and I had hung out. There was always someone home or mates to tend to or distractions that interrupted.

We listened as Caroline padded her way into the kitchen. She was quiet with Esme but thanked her graciously for making her breakfast. Esme also explained to her where the boys and Alice and Rose had gone.

"Send her upstairs, Esme," I said in a normal voice, knowing she could hear me.

"Make yourself at home, Caroline. The boys won't be long, but Bella and Kevin are upstairs – the last room at the top – if you'd like to join them," she told the girl. "Kevin hates chores, so Bella tends to keep him on the straight and narrow. They're folding laundry."

Kevin snorted, grinning up at me.

"Damn straight," I growled, throwing a pair of his or Adrian's underwear at him.

Whereas Kevin hated laundry, I liked it. It was a soothing chore. It was something I'd done as a human, and I still continued to do it. It reminded me that despite the fact that I was surrounded with never-ending wealth and immortality, I was merely a married woman, still just Bella. It was the simplest of chores that made me feel...normal – simply a wife taking care of her husband. I never needed to cook or do dishes, unless we had the rare human visitor, and I never had to work or send my Edward off to a tedious job every day, so this was my humbling activity.

By the time Caroline had trudged up the stairs, I had finished helping Kevin with folding Adrian's many T-shirts, and we were working on socks and underwear.

Her heartbeat could be heard way before the soft knock on the door frame.

I looked up and smiled. "Morning. Come on in."

She was holding a mug of coffee, giving Edward's and my room a long, slow gaze. "Hey," she said with a sweet smile. "This is beautiful."

"This is Alice's doing," I countered with a laugh, but I walked to the dresser, switching out the bedroom iPod for Edward's personal one. Finding his playlist of rock ranging from just about every decade, I set it on random. "She and Esme are pretty amazing when it comes to decorating," I finished, gesturing for her to feel free to wander around.

"Yeah, but this wasn't..." She stopped, smiling and shaking her head. "This was an attic."

Kevin laughed. "Yeah, it was. But Heavy E and the boys did a damn fine job."

She smirked. "Why do you call him that?"

"Edward?" Kevin asked with a laugh, and she nodded.

I snorted and rolled my eyes, patting him on the shoulder. "That's all you. Keep it clean."

Kevin gave Caroline the watered-down version of his story, including how he knew us when he was human, seeing the boys play live, and the nickname I'd given Edward at the time – Hot Doc. She giggled at that but listened closely. Kevin went on to explain everyone's nicknames, but Edward's was a joke. He'd met up with us in London one night for a Open Mic Night. He'd been backstage with my brothers, who'd told him that when Edward arrived, he should send him back to help unload his _equipment_ – therefore earning the title Dr. Heavy Equipment, because it took three people to unload it.

"Ah, Heavy E." She snorted, shaking her head, but turned to me. "Doctor? Really?"

"Hmm?" I hummed, looking up from the mountain of socks in front of me on the bed. "Yeah, two times over, actually. He's amazing with kids."

"Why doesn't he do it all the time, like Carlisle?" she asked.

I wrinkled my nose and sighed, balling up another pair and tossing them into Kevin's basket. "A few reasons. Edward's age, first of all. He looks young, so nurses and other doctors don't truly take him seriously. Second, it starts to weigh on him. As much as he likes the minds of children because they're so open and sweet, the mind of a sick child hurts him when he can't just...fix them. And then...there's me. Hospital hours are long, and Edward can be very dedicated, but we can't go long periods apart. We found that out the hard way not too long ago."

Kevin kissed the side of my head and then turned to Caroline. "Bells and Edward are...different. They're mated, but..."

"Oh!" she gasped, nodding a little. "Esme told me. The complete soul thing."

I smiled sadly and nodded. "_Completi l'anima._ Yeah, it can kill us, actually."

Caroline grimaced. "Yeah, she told me that, too. Does it scare you?"

I huffed a soft laugh through my nose. "No. It's...amazing. And we've learned to work around it. The family helps. Like today, the boys aren't far. At least, they're within our tested range. It scares Carlisle more than anyone because when Edward and I were apart, we could've died, and we didn't know it. We didn't know why we were in pain, and my being human could've really caused things to end...poorly."

Caroline had been told our story, so I knew she'd understand what I was talking about. She frowned a little but glanced up at the wall that was covered in black and white photos. They were every stage of our lives together, starting with prom at Forks High and ending with silly faces taken with a phone. Our wedding, Italy, football games, photo booths, dancing at clubs, Isle Esme, and Edward's favorite – the one Jasper had taken while I was reading one of Edward's beautifully penned notes – were all up there. Esme and Alice tended to decorate around them everywhere we moved. They knew color schemes and furniture weren't important to Edward and me, but those pictures damn sure were.

"Your wedding was beautiful," she whispered.

"Alice," Kevin sang with a chuckle. "You have to understand... Bella doesn't care about the silly details of colors and cake and wallpaper."

I laughed. "That's very true. And thank you. That was one of the best days of my life."

I glanced over to the box filled with every letter Edward had ever written me. I didn't even have to look because I knew for a fact that the one he'd left for me the day we got married was at the front. It might have even been my very favorite because it had been filled with a vow that he'd never run away from me again. And sitting atop that very box was the little stuffed lion that he'd left with that note. No, I didn't care about colors, invitations, or even how my room was decorated, but I reveled in all the little ways Edward had shown me his love throughout the years. He showed it with pride and a romantic flair, wearing it honorably, like a knight in a suit of arms.

Her eyes zeroed in on prom. It was obvious that I was still human. Despite the black and white of the picture, my face was flushed and showing every bit of what I felt for the angelic creature beside me. Edward's beautiful face was pained, though just as excited and lovesick. We were so lost and confused back then but unable to hide a single bit of the love we felt.

Caroline smiled, reaching up to straighten a frame or two. "I read your book ages ago, you know," she started softly, and Kevin smiled up at me. "Back in California, all my friends were enamored with it. I read it out of sheer pressure, but it struck me hard. I wanted that. I wanted what you found – the love that would never die." She smirked, meeting my gaze. "Best line ever... 'When you can live forever, what do you live for?'"

I chuckled. "Jasper," I stated. "He was very...involved in publishing that book."

She grinned and sat down on my chaise, sipping her coffee. I balled up a few more pairs of socks, trying to determine which basket they belonged. The music switched songs to "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey. I had to smile at how the words were fitting for the moment, because the next series of questions that she hit me with gave me a glimpse into what she was thinking.

"I think with how my mom was, I really connected with that book. I wanted something that wouldn't fade away," she sighed, the smile falling from her face. "I watched my friends flit from one guy to the next. I just didn't see the point."

"No kidding," Kevin agreed with a nod. "That shit almost got me fucking killed," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

I ruffled his hair but then ran my fingers through it. I remembered the bloody mess he'd been when he'd shown up on my doorstep after a night of poor decisions. If it hadn't been for Edward, we'd have lost Kevin that night. I was sure of it.

Caroline listened to the music for a moment, focusing on her coffee mug. "In the book...you kissed."

Smirking, I shoved a snickering Kevin. "Yes."

"Did that happen?" she asked, still zeroed in on her coffee.

"Oh, yes." I chuckled, throwing the last pair of socks into the basket and getting up to sit next to her on the edge of the chaise. "Edward really did drive me crazy."

She grinned at her hands but then looked up at me. "How... How did it work?"

"Very carefully," Kevin piped up from my bed with a guffawing laugh.

She regarded both of us with a serious yet slightly embarrassed face. "Tell me, please."

I studied her face, sighing deeply at how this had changed from just getting to know each other to plotting on poor Archie to kiss him stupid. Because I could see it in her eyes. She was determined; it was a look that I recognized immediately. I'd worn that very look more times as a human than I could count.

I glanced back over to Kevin. "Good thing Jasper's not here," I told him with a grin.

"No shit," he agreed. "I can barely walk today as it is," he murmured just low enough that Caroline didn't hear him, and it took all I had not to laugh.

Turning back to Caroline, I said, "Actually, Kevin's right. You have to be extremely careful."

"I don't think Archie...wants to," she whispered shyly. "He'll move away or just...change the subject."

Sighing, I turned her to face me. "Remember what I said about hundred year old vampires that are set in their ways?" I asked her, and she nodded, wide-eyed. "Good, because this is where you need to find your patience, Caroline. You need to understand all that surrounds you."

"First of all," Kevin added, "he's a guy...he definitely wants to."

I nodded. "That's very true, but he has to be so, so careful, sweetie. He could crush you if he reached too fast or gripped you too hard. Not to mention our teeth are extremely dangerous. There's also the blood factor. Okay?"

Her face fell. "But Edward did it..."

I smiled and nodded. "He did. And some days, he pushed himself way too far. Or rather..._I_ pushed _Edward_ too far."

I snorted to myself, thinking that if Edward was listening, he would be eating this up, because our first few kisses were a prime example of lust overload. As a human, there had been no way to stop myself, and he'd had to use every bit of his control and restraint. Thinking back, I probably should've apologized to him.

"Yeah, I did the same thing to Adrian," Kevin said with a chuckle. He got up from the bed to kneel in front of us. "Quick movements, rushes of adrenaline, and certain...needs can kick our kind into overdrive. Where, as a human, you don't feel all of that or sense it, we can, and it can push us over the edge. Lust and blood and sex kinda all get wrapped up into one feeling for us."

My eyebrows shot up at Kevin's honesty, but he was simply trying to help.

"So he could...kill me? All over a kiss?" she gasped, looking forlorn.

I let out a deep breath. "I don't know." I shrugged, taking her mug and setting it on the table next to the chaise. Picking up her hands, I said, "That certainly is something to keep in mind, but knowing Archie, I'm willing to bet this is a factor of propriety more than blood." When she looked confused, I went on. "You need to understand the era in which he was born, sweetie, and the fact that he hasn't really seen how much of the world has changed except through us, TV, and the little that he's seen around town in only the last six months."

"He's had some severe culture shock, that's for sure," Kevin stated firmly and without teasing. "I'm betting Dr. Feel Good is having this same conversation right now." He grinned when I snorted into a laugh.

"Probably." I giggled, looking back to Caroline. "Look, Caroline, we've explained how some things are ingrained in us when we change, so you have to understand that the era they're born in comes with them. I say 'they' because Edward is from that very same time frame. He was raised to believe that everything – and I do mean _everything_ – waited until after marriage. Courting was a ritual that required supervision by the girl's parents. They didn't touch or hold hands, though Edward said that sometimes, the chaperone would allow it. The father of the girl had to approve the match, the man had to prove himself worthy of her, and nothing physical happened until the wedding night."

"Tell me you didn't wait until you got married," Caroline gasped.

Kevin laughed, poking her leg a little. "You've seen Heavy E around the Goddess here. Do _you_ honestly believe they could've waited?"

She shook her head no. "No, he's crazy about you..."

"He is," I said with pride. "But all of his old fashioned ways changed _after_ he came back to me," I sighed, giving her a small, sad smile. "He told me that after being away for two years, he'd never deny me again."

Caroline nodded in acceptance of that, but I could see how her mind was working. She was most likely thinking that her patience would kill her.

"Hey," I whispered, waiting until she met my gaze with sad blue eyes. "I said I pushed Edward, not that it wasn't worth it." I winked at her, causing her to smirk. "Sometimes, those stubborn hundred-year-old vampires need a shove in the right direction."

The smile that curled up on her lips was beautiful and a little mischievous. "Thanks, Bella."

"Oh, Lord," Kevin sang, rolling his eyes as his head fell back with his laugh. "Poor Archie..."

Inhaling deeply, I smelled the fresh scent of honey and linen before the sexiest of forms leaned casually in the doorway of our bedroom. Edward crossed one ankle over the other, folding his arms across his chest.

"Poor Archie, indeed," Edward snorted. "You're shameless, Isabella."

"I'm right, Edward Anthony," I countered with a smirk, folding my own arms. "And you know it."

His brow wrinkled at the same time he was fighting his smile. It was one of my most favorite looks of his because it was a internal debate with him. He couldn't decide whether to be reprimanding or amused. Amused almost always won out, especially when Kevin and Caroline were laughing at the same time I was smiling smugly at him. His beautiful smile was blinding as he let out a soft chuckle.

_Tell me, my handsome man, that this was the same conversation that you guys just had with Archie_, I thought to him.

He nodded once and shot me a wink but then turned to Caroline. "I should give you fair warning that my sisters are planning on some sort of...makeover before your father arrives later this evening, so if you want to see Archie, he's out on the deck waiting for you. He mentioned a walk but promises to have you back in time for lunch."

Kevin and I snorted, looking to Caroline, who was grinning.

"So formal," I teased with a giggle, rolling my eyes. "You and Archie are two peas in a pod, I swear."

Edward laughed, shrugging. "It is what it is, sweet girl."

Caroline giggled and stood up. She grabbed her coffee cup. "Thank you," she said to him, only to turn to me and Kevin. "Thank you, too." She smiled at Edward on her way out the door.

We nodded, and I shoved Kevin. "Get your clothes, you lazy thing."

"I love you, my Goddess," he whispered, kissing my head once he stood up. "Have I told you that lately?"

"Yeah. The last time I did your laundry," I muttered. "I'm sensing a pattern. Do I need to ask the mind reader?"

"I love you...laundry or not." Kevin laughed, grabbing up his full basket and nudging Edward on his way by. "Tell her, Heavy E."

"She knows." Edward sighed, shaking his head at us. Once we were alone, he knelt in front of me. "Oh, my beautiful girl...are you ever right about Archie."

I smirked, running my fingers through his hair. "Did you tell him that it's worth the struggle?"

"Mmm, I did."

"Did you tell him that he'll regret not kissing her?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Did you tell him that she'll be overcome and kiss him back with fire and love and things she can't control?"

"Repeatedly." Edward's voice was smooth, like melted chocolate, but so sweet and sexy. His eyes darkened just a touch.

"And what did he say?"

He smiled crookedly, huffing one laugh. "That he can't wait."

Grinning, I brushed a lock of Edward's hair from his forehead so that I could press my lips to it. "Good," I whispered against his smooth skin.

"Beautiful?" he asked, pulling me back to meet my eyes.

"Hmm?"

"Don't you _ever_ apologize for your reactions to our first kisses," he stated firmly, almost angrily. "I _lived_ for them. Okay?"

Smiling, I pressed my forehead to his. "Me, too, Edward."

He brushed his lips across mine. "Good. Now, let's brace ourselves for this day. Archie isn't exactly ready to let her go."

I nodded solemnly. "She's the same. We'll just have to be there for them, baby."

Edward sighed and nodded in agreement, offering me his hand once he stood up. "We don't exactly have any other choice. Though, I'm always hoping – for his sake – that something changes."

* * *

**A/N... I'm with Kevin. Jasper's loss of control is a GOOD thing. ;) LOL Though, poor Edward sees things he doesn't necessarily want to see.**

**I told you this was a lighter chapter. I couldn't resist playing a little with Kevin, and this chapter actually got away from me, so I just went with it.**

**Songs added to the playlist:**

"**I Remember You" by Nat King Cole... I actually heard this in the movie _The Majestic_ with Jim Carrey. It's an amazing movie, if you haven't seen it. Sometimes, the funniest of actors play the serious roles the best. ;)**

"**You Belong To Me" by Dean Martin. I love crooners. I'm sure Frank Sinatra will pop up eventually.**

"**Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey.**

**Chapter 35 is well over halfway finished, so I can imagine that Sunday will be on time. I hope you enjoyed the emotional reprieve because Caroline's visit is drawing to a close. Okay, so until Wednesday... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N... So we all agree with Kevin that Jasper should be rewarded for his...ahem... "loss of control." LOL That's awesome! :D And yeah, poor Edward. No one should see some of the things he sees.**

**Time to strap back in and hold on. This chapter comes with a TISSUE WARNING I've been told. This will also answer a few questions for you concerning the Dixon family.**

**I'll let you get on with it. See me at the bottom...**

* * *

Chapter 35

**EDWARD**

"Edward, are you _sure_?" Esme asked nervously as she watched Archie lead Caroline into the woods from the library windows.

"Yes, I'm sure," I sighed, giving her a placating smile. "I have more confidence in Archie than I did in myself the first time I took Bella to our meadow." I snorted, shaking my head, but I couldn't help but smile when she cooed, running her fingers through my hair.

"My sweet boy," she soothed. "Very well...I trust you're still watching over him," she surmised, and I nodded in answer.

Archie had wanted away from the house for a bit of privacy with Caroline, though he was well aware that I was able to hear them. A part of him thought to be embarrassed about that, but another found comfort in the fact that I was watching out over them. It also gave him a satisfying sense of propriety that he was being "chaperoned," more or less. He never wanted to hurt her – to do so would kill him – but he also wanted to shelter her from prying eyes, listening ears, and teasing brothers. The latter of which were getting their asses handed to them by Bella and my sisters, despite Carlisle's warnings to leave Archie in peace.

"You're so mean!" Bella growled, shoving a laughing Emmett until he fell onto the sofa. "Did you do this to Edward?!"

Emmett froze, not really knowing whether the truth would help him out or not. "Maybe," he said, dragging out the word hesitantly with narrowed eyes that flickered to me, and his mind begged me not to rat him out.

"Moron," she said, smacking the back of his head. "Maybe the bear that tried to eat you did more damage than Carlisle could fix. You were new at this shit once, too!" she ranted, looking guiltily at Esme. "Sorry, Mom."

God, I loved my feisty girl. The sexy thing looked so very tempting as she came to my defense needlessly.

"No worries, Bella, dear. We've often wondered how much damage the bear did," Esme said sarcastically just to shut Emmett up.

Kevin laughed. "In other words, you weren't exactly a rocket scientist in your former life, Mountain of Sexy," he taunted with a cheesy grin when Emmett flipped him off.

I gave the woods one more glance before walking away from the window. I'd promised Archie that I'd watch over him but that I wouldn't eavesdrop the entire time. And I knew where he was taking her, something we'd discussed with Carlisle when he'd taken us all hunting. He was showing her the now-destroyed tree that his father had tied him to; he was leaving nothing about himself up for question. He was telling her, showing her _everything_.

It had been an uncomfortable conversation for Archie, to say the least. He'd been well aware that it was his feelings, his desire for his mate that had sent the house into a frenzy. He'd apologized profusely to Jasper, who simply shrugged it off, stating with a grin that Emmett and I had been infinitely worse. Emmett had rolled his eyes and shrugged; I'd simply smiled and said it was vengeance for eighty years of mental torture.

Carlisle had laughed, but it had quieted quickly because he'd been determined not to make the same mistake with Archie as he felt he had with me. I'd argued, stating that there were no mistakes, but he smiled sadly. Through his mind, he'd shown me what I'd been like before Bella – _years_ before Bella – and the dark, brooding, bitter demeanor that I'd carried around was harsh to see.

I'd never truly hated my family for their mated status, but it had decreased my own self-esteem, which, in turn, had caused me to hate myself instead. Carlisle still felt guilty about having never sat me down to really talk about it. I'd run from the conversation every time, not wanting to discuss sex, mating, or girls – something that made me sound like a true seventeen-year-old.

My father also had harbored more guilt than he'd let on concerning how we'd just left Bella – or rather, how they'd just followed my lead back in Forks. And that was his true reasoning for calling a meeting with Archie, my brothers, and myself. He'd wanted Archie to know that we wouldn't, under any circumstances, be forgetting about Caroline, even when she left with her father. She was his mate, he needed to accept it, and now was the time to discuss every fear, worry, and question. And that included the physical aspect of their relationship.

I fell down onto the loveseat in the library, gathering Bella to my side when she snuggled in to listen to Jasper play softly on his guitar. I didn't feel like playing, and I needed to pay attention to Archie's progress, but I inhaled her scent deeply, remembering how the conversation earlier had shifted to Adrian and me.

We were the only two immortals among us that had maintained a relationship with a human for a significant amount of time. Everyone else had either changed their mate, had been changed by their mate, or their mate was already immortal before anything proceeded.

Pressing kisses to the top of my girl's head, I trailed my fingers lightly over her arm as she wrapped it around my stomach. Bella was so smart and so very sympathetic to Archie's and Caroline's situation. But I'd heard her mind from the house when she'd explained to Caroline that it wasn't so much the temptation of her blood for Archie, but Archie's upbringing that was holding him back. Poor Caroline wanted nothing more for the moment than a kiss.

Adrian and I had explained it the best way we could to him. The physical part of his relationship would be a test of his restraint, and he needed to be extraordinarily careful. When he'd balked at how it was inappropriate, Emmett and Jasper had stepped up to help him. We all understood Archie's reasoning because we were all from different times, where things weren't so open and upfront. Even Carlisle, the oldest of us, tried to soothe his concerns.

It had been a long, complicated conversation, and I'd had to divulge more about my human Bella than I'd felt comfortable with at the moment, but it was worth it. And I knew my girl would've been okay with what I'd revealed to them. In fact, she'd verified what I'd told him when I'd returned – that he'd regret not kissing his soul mate, that he'd see the struggle to maintain speed, control, and strength was worth it, and that he should know that Caroline would react immediately without being able to stop herself.

_You're a million miles away, handsome_, Bella pointed out silently to me, resting her chin on my chest as she lay between me and the back of the loveseat. _You okay?_

I nodded, brushing her hair from her face and tucking a lock of it behind her ear.

_Archie's okay, right?_

I froze, tilting my head for a moment, and then nodded. "Yes, ma'am. He's taken my advice and is carrying her the few miles to where he's taking her."

She smiled and nodded. "Helluva way to travel."

I chuckled, kissing her lips. "It's not so bad being the mule, either."

That was the truth. As old fashioned as Bella had accused me of being back then, there had been nothing so tempting as having her warmth wrapped around me while running. Her heartbeat had pounded against my back, her legs had squeezed around my waist, and her sweet breath had set me on fire when she'd hidden her face in my neck. So many inappropriate thoughts had swirled around my mind back then, and I'd never told her. But now, in front of my family, wasn't the time.

Bella chuckled. "You weren't a mule, Edward."

Grinning, I squeezed her closer. Jasper continued to play on – now joined by Kevin – and different conversations were softly being carried out throughout the library, but really, we were all just waiting.

Checking on Archie, I noted he was being a gentleman, but he was also so much more open and free with her away from all of us. He was animated and grateful that she knew the truth of it all, especially the truth about what we were. He could be himself, and he was reveling that she didn't mind, didn't shy away. In fact, she was very much like Bella and Kevin, where she simply wanted to know..._more_.

"How are they doing, son?" Carlisle asked worriedly when he walked back into the library.

"Fine," I stated with a nod. "They're about five miles out, but they've stopped. He's just inside my hearing range, actually."

"And his control?"

I huffed a laugh, shrugging a shoulder. "Archie never thinks about blood. It's the last thing on his mind. Always. Since he's transitioned diets, he never gives it another thought. Only when he feels thirsty does he think about it. And with her...he refuses to even entertain the idea when he's around her."

Bella smiled, but she stayed quiet.

"Good," he said, sitting down on the edge of the chair across from Bella and me. He turned to Alice. "Sweetheart, tell me what's changed. Tell me what you're seeing now. With all that has happened in the last few days, I need to know if anything has affected your visions."

Bella and I sat up, and Kevin and Jasper set aside their guitars. It seemed that Carlisle had been waiting for a moment where we could have a family meeting away from Archie and Caroline. Alice frowned sadly, and Esme wrapped a loving arm around her.

"Nothing's really changed. I mean...Archie and Caroline have both made decisions, but nothing changes the ultimate outcome," she explained, and she showed me small, almost insignificant decisions, but nothing major.

"What decisions?" Emmett asked, getting up from his drum set and sitting on the edge of an ottoman. Rose sat behind him as we waited.

"Small ones," Alice and I said at the same time as she showed me flashes of Archie and Caroline.

"Our fears of Caroline saying anything can be put to rest," Alice stated knowingly. "She's determined to keep it to herself. She's also determined to let her argument with her father about Lisa go. She knows the truth, and her father was right, so there's no need to fight about it. She was tired of not believing him. And she's also made the decision to stay in touch with us – all of us, really. But the most important decision she's made is that she really wants to come back over the summer before she starts college in the fall. She's hoping, despite her impending punishment, that she'll be allowed to come."

"Yet that doesn't happen," Adrian guessed, wearing a slight grimace.

"No," Alice and I said in unison.

"And Archie?" Bella asked, looking between us anxiously. "What decisions did he make?"

Smiling sadly, I said, "Some of his decisions are...private." I touched the tip of her nose when she smiled. "Others are simply tests of how he can let her go later today."

"Damn, he's gonna be a mess," Emmett sighed, his thoughts centered around how I'd been when I'd left my Bella.

I wanted to argue, but I couldn't. Whereas my breakdown had been a culmination of leaving Bella and the lies I'd spewed to her in order to do it, Archie's heartbreak would be different. Alice had seen him shatter the minute Caroline pulled away. It wasn't guilt for him; it was the descending feeling of ominous loneliness that caused him to melt down. He'd found the one good thing about being changed against his will over a hundred years ago, and no consoling from the family would make it better.

What we couldn't connect – and I was starting to see Jasper's theory of an unforeseen incident as something to consider – was that between Caroline leaving and this coming summer, she became immortal. Someone changed her, but from the look on her face, it didn't seem that it had been against her will. She was, in no uncertain terms, blissful with Archie.

Picking up Bella's hand, I spun her ring several times, simply to remind myself that she loved me, she'd accepted me back, and she was _mine_. Forever. Seeing Emmett's memories were a blatant reminder of just how stubborn and stupid I'd been. But Archie was different. He wasn't pushing Caroline away; he had no alternative but to let her go with her father.

"If he doesn't let her go, we'll have a huge problem on our hands," I sighed, running a hand through my hair, but my other hand was gripping Bella's with tenacity.

"Exactly," Alice agreed with a nod. "He's only dealing with her being in this house because he's spoken to her several times. But he's truly ready to get her out of here."

Kevin snorted. "If he only knew who she was staying with..."

"And therein lies the problem," Alice said, fidgeting a little. "He doesn't necessarily recognize Archie, but he does react to this house pretty badly. It's why I told Esme not to bother with dinner. He'll want to get in, meet us – if only to placate Caroline – and go. Like go!"

The room went silent with that, so I took the opportunity to check on Archie. He was talking about his father, and from the sound of a few sniffles and sad thoughts, Caroline had heard the whens and whats concerning the tree that was destroyed in front of them.

He knelt in front of her, smiling softly. "Don't cry. My father doesn't deserve your tears, and Victoria most definitely doesn't."

She sniffled once more, playing with his fingers. "My tears are for _you_, Archie. Don't you know that?"

His brow wrinkled, but he nodded. "I know. I don't deserve them, either. But...thank you," he said, reaching up to gently capture a tear that was trailing slowly down her cheek.

I tuned them back out. Caroline wanted so badly for him to kiss her, but Archie wasn't ready. He was scared to death about it, actually. He was convinced he wouldn't hurt her, but he knew that kissing her would make letting her go that much harder at the end of the day. He wasn't sure that his heart could take it.

I sighed, shaking my head. I wanted to tell him how his constant avoidance of that particular intimacy came across as rejection, but there was no way to tell him. He would have to find out for himself, which he did about thirty seconds later when she stood up in frustration, letting go of his hands. I had to give Caroline credit. She kept everything Bella and Kevin had talked to her about in her mind at all times – Archie's age, his birth era, and his tragic story. She couldn't be mad, but...she was a little let down. She was also sure that standing in front of that tree wasn't exactly the best place, anyway.

Chuckling, I turned to Bella. "You and Kevin created a monster."

"Oh, hell yes! Tell me she kissed the shit out of him!" Kevin beamed, rubbing his hands together.

I laughed, joined by everyone else in the room. "No. No, not yet. But she's just about there."

"Damn," all the girls and Kevin groaned in disappointment.

Bella's hand slapped her forehead. "She feels rejected."

"A little," I whispered, kissing the side of her head. "But she's smart. She understands and has listened to every single one of us. She's well aware that he's...shy."

"Shy," Emmett guffawed, shaking his head. "More like petrified."

"That, too." I grinned.

"You're one to talk, Romeo," Emmett argued.

"Dammit, Emmett," Bella growled in warning, and I smiled like an idiot at my brother behind her. "I will break every drum in your kit if you say one word."

"She means...shatter them into oblivion," Alice chirped happily with a silly grin. "As in...dust, not just broken drum heads."

"You're no fun," Emmett pouted. "Spoiled baby."

"Ginormous bully," she countered, sticking her tongue out at him petulantly. She turned to Carlisle. "He was way too damaged to change, wasn't he? The bear... It got part of his brain, right?"

Carlisle cracked up, as did Rose as she ruffled Emmett's hair. I had to hand it to my largest brother; nothing aimed his way ever ruffled his feathers, and definitely nothing coming from Bella. He lived for their little fights and spats. She reminded him so much of his human baby sister that he couldn't help it. He'd transferred all that over to my Bella.

"No, little one, his brain was intact. However, I'm pretty sure he was like this prior to the bear attack," Carlisle answered with a smile.

"Rocket scientist," Kevin coughed, grinning over at Emmett.

"Hmm, shame, really," Bella murmured. "It would've made much more sense had it been the bear."

Chuckling, I wrapped an arm around her and whispered in her ear. "My sweet, fierce, overprotective girl. You should know by now that nothing he says can bother me. My fears didn't last long, you see..."

Bella smiled, and it was sexy and wicked, her eyes darkening a bit. _No, baby...they sure as hell didn't last long... But you had _all_ that knowledge tucked away in that head of yours. I'm still convinced you had the advantage._

Smirking, I shrugged a shoulder. "Maybe."

_Maybe_, she snorted, rolling her eyes. _Edward, you kissed me perfectly the first time. But when you came back? You kissed me absolutely fucking senseless. Every time. You'd held out on me!_

"Yeah," I sighed with a grimace. "Sorry about that..."

She giggled. "Don't be."

Carlisle chuckled at us both, reveling in our happiness, though Jasper was about five seconds away from telling Bella and me to cut it out. Talk of our first kisses were pushing our lust levels up just a little.

I checked in on Archie again, smiling that he was showing her how his talent really worked. He stood in front of her and disappeared into thin air, only to flick her ponytail from out of nowhere. It was good to see him have fun, to lighten up, and I realized that was how my family had seen me with Bella those first few weeks, even more so when we returned to her.

Carlisle sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Before they get back, I'd like to talk to all of you about the future of this family. It's obvious that we've...grown." He smiled toward Adrian and Kevin. "With the addition of Kevin and Adrian, and now Archie...and possibly Caroline, we'll be the largest coven ever to have coexisted together in immortal history outside of a newborn army. It's also a concern that if we leave here, out of the safety of this house and where it's positioned in relation to humans, that our numbers will pose a problem. Marcus expressed his concern to Edward and Bella when they were in Washington D.C."

He held his hand up when questions flew at him left and right. "It's not my intention to separate us. As long as you want to stay with this family, the doors and my arms will _always_ be open. Understand?" When we all nodded, he went on. "Marcus's concern rests with keeping our true identities secret, and I completely understand. He also knows that our family poses no threat, that we're a family that shares the same diet and desire to fit in, to live as close to normal lives as possible."

"Our future is tentative with Caroline," Alice pointed out. "I see us on Isle Esme, and her eyes are still red."

Carlisle sighed, nodding a little. "Knowing that, I feel we need a contingency plan should something go wrong." He turned to Jasper. "Have you been in contact with Jenks lately?"

"No, sir. Well, not since Edward needed to take care of that soldier from D.C. We've taken care of his family, but I haven't needed him since then. I can get him started as soon as possible."

"Please do," Carlisle confirmed. "If we need to move quickly, then we need to be prepared. I trust you to handle the details."

"On it," Jasper said, reaching over and grabbing his laptop from the coffee table, immediately composing an email.

Carlisle then turned to Emmett. "I'm assuming everything went well on the coast?"

Emmett nodded, the playfulness from his face gone. "It is. We secured a boat under McCarty. It's tied at a small dock and can be ready to go within an hour of calling. The owner of the shipyard lives on premises."

"Excellent," Carlisle praised, but he looked to me. "If for some reason, things go wrong with Caroline's father, we need to act quickly. Alice's lack of vision concerns me to no end. If we have to separate, we'll regroup at the island. It can hide our numbers, as well as give us privacy. We can take our time there. After that, we need to talk about our future...together."

"A few of us can shut down this house, if need be," I told him, and he nodded in agreement. "It won't take long to pack and ship everything...or store it if we have to."

"I don't want to be separated from my children, Carlisle," Esme said, emotion causing her voice to crack.

He called her over, and she sat down beside him. "At first, it would only be temporary, sweetheart. We'll all meet on the island. After that..." His voice trailed off.

"I hate that I can't _see_!" Alice growled frustratedly, her small hands balling up into fists. "That black span of time bothers me, and I can't see around it. I can't plan!"

Jasper was up and wrapping arms around her in a flash. "Easy, darlin'," he soothed her. "We'll just have to play a few things by ear."

"I don't play by ear," she argued feebly. "Ever."

Bella smirked, but her brow was wrinkled. "Well, welcome to how the rest of us survive, Ali," she teased with a wink, and Jasper ginned when Alice huffed but fought her smile. My girl turned to me. "So...what do we do? We can't plan on Caroline's change. There's no blueprint for that part, but apparently, we'll be in Brazil soon. So...what?"

I kissed her forehead but turned to Alice, making a few tentative, yet quick decisions just to see the result.

Alice gasped, seeing a few more things clearer. Her brow furrowed. "On the boat?" she asked, but it was mainly to herself. "You'd have to be so, so careful."

"I figured," I murmured, looking to Carlisle. "Alice sees Rose and Emmett closing up this house. She also sees herself and Jasper flying out to the island ahead of us. And she sees...Caroline's change taking place on the boat. I'm with you, but _you_ change her, Carlisle."

"I do?"

"As of right now, you do," I confirmed. "She's...hurt, but I don't know why...or how it happened." I tilted my head just a little, my eyes gazing out the library window. "And we'd better change this subject soon. Archie and Caroline are on their way back."

Carlisle sighed deeply, kissing Esme's palm. "I just want us prepared for the unexpected. And I want all of you to think about what we should do about future living arrangements. Okay? I know that Archie will follow us. And I think with the addition of Caroline, we'll really be pushing our luck with hiding what we are. It's already a test with Adrian and Kevin."

Adrian's thoughts hit me softly.

"That's not what he's saying, Adrian," I countered aloud. "He doesn't want us to part, and no, you're not endangering us. We simply need a new way of doing things. The usual facade won't work with this many of us, anymore."

My head turned quickly back to the window just as Archie and Caroline stepped out of the woods and into the backyard. He was holding her hand, and they were both smiling. It had been a good walk and a good conversation, and they were more attached than ever before.

"This is really going to be hard," I sighed, looking back to Carlisle. "We'd better prepare for her father's arrival."

"Well, let's get her fed first before the pixie starts painting toenails and curling her hair," Bella snorted, rolling her eyes. _Did he kiss her? _She smirked my way, raising a very sexy eyebrow.

"No, ma'am. Not yet," I said with a grin, dragging my tongue across my bottom lip. "I suppose you'll push that limit, hmm?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Edward," she sang with a giggle, waving me away. "I just want to feed the poor girl."

With that said, she and Esme left the room to meet the happy couple at the back deck doors in the kitchen.

~oOo~

Smiling at Caroline's bright laughter as she, Archie, and my brothers played video games, I made my way upstairs. Mr. Dixon was due within the hour and would most likely arrive just after sunset. Caroline had spent the last few hours in the hands of my sisters and Bella. The girls had provided her with new clothes for her trip back to Ohio with her father and a few girly touches here and there. I honestly tried to stay out of it, because when the girls got to talking, no man inside the house was safe from story telling. Even my Bella squealed on a few stories. Apparently, I couldn't seem to get my socks into the laundry basket if I tried.

Walking into Bella's and my room, I heard the sounds of the shower spray meeting skin. Leaning in the door of our bathroom, my eyes drank in the silhouette of my girl under the water. She giggled sweetly, sliding open the frosted glass door.

"You could join me, you know," she said temptingly, like the devil himself.

Licking my lips at the sight of suds sliding slowly over the soft, pale skin of her stomach, I stepped closer. "As tempting as that is, my beautiful girl," I started, leaning forward just to inhale the scent of freesias that seemed to magnify in the warm water. "And believe me, you are so..._very_ tempting..." I opened my mouth to capture a drop of water that was rolling down her neck. "I'm afraid if I was to give into such enticement, we would never leave this room."

Bella moaned, tilting her head just enough so that I had more access to the sweet spot just behind her ear. That, too, had a droplet of water that I couldn't resist.

"Dangerous girl," I purred, feeling my eyes darken at the sound of her sweet whimper for more.

"I'm thinking you have that ass-backwards, Edward Cullen," she accused weakly. "_You're_ the dangerous one."

Chuckling and licking my lips, I pulled back. "Why, Mrs. Cullen, I have no idea what you mean."

"Of course you don't..." She snorted, rolling her eyes and shoving me back just enough so that she could slam the shower door. "Your loss, sweetheart."

"Mm, believe me, I know," I sighed forlornly as I leaned against the vanity as she finished her shower.

That caused a giggle to escape her, but she said nothing more as she shut off the water. I met her at the bathmat with a fresh towel, wrapping her up, only to set her down on the little white rug. Once I dried her off, she wrapped the towel around herself, securing it tightly and walking into our bedroom, where I followed her like a lost puppy.

"I take it her dad is almost here, or you wouldn't be up here to get me," she surmised as she rustled through our closet.

I snickered. "Yeah, he's close. He just called her." When she turned around to face me with a pair of dark jeans in her hands, I said, "And for the record, I could resist you in the shower no longer."

Bella laughed, shaking her head. She bustled about the room, pulling out underwear and my hooded Dartmouth sweatshirt – the decision making Alice scoff downstairs, but she couldn't say anything. We had no choice but to look like the teens in which we were posing.

Before tugging off the towel, she pointed to the bed. "Sit, Edward." She laughed, but she meant it.

"My girl knows me too well," I mused with a chuckle, obeying her command without shame. I even sat on my hands in order to keep myself from reaching out to touch, especially when lime green lace and satin suddenly was now just barely covering her form. "No fair, love," I groaned, falling back on the bed and squeezing my eyes closed.

Bella giggled but quickly straddled me. Unfortunately, she was now fully dressed. She looked so young and so much like my human Bella that I couldn't help but cup her sweet face.

"I love you," I sighed, gazing up at her.

"Good," she chirped with a grin. She loomed over me, pressing kisses to my lips. "Are we ready for this?" she asked in a whisper.

"Not at all," I answered back with a frown. "The unknowns about this worry me."

"I know they do," she soothed, running her fingers through my hair.

We knew that Tim Dixon safely arrived and that Caroline left with him. However, there was nothing past the two of them stopping in Caribou for dinner before driving out of town.

Bella's sweet brown eyes studied my face, and her mind was sweet, calm, and an easy place to be at the moment. She wanted to tease that we were spoiled to Alice's visions, but this wasn't something to joke about. The only thing she promised was that we would help them both get through not only their separation, but whatever was to come that we couldn't foresee. Despite all the bickering and sibling jibes, our family was – at its core – a flawless machine. She knew it, relied on it.

Smiling, I nodded, running my fingers through her still-wet locks. "Yes, ma'am. Come on, baby. We'd better head downstairs."

"Okay, just let me dry my hair," she said, bounding off the bed and into the bathroom.

Once her hair was dry, she swept it up into a long ponytail, which made me chuckle at her because she looked that much younger.

The backpack that Caroline arrived with, along with another small duffel bag, sat sentry at the front doors. They looked over the room ominously in Archie's mind, and he could barely focus on the game he was playing, despite the huge screen in front of his face. He stood up abruptly, which caused the game to come to a stop, and Caroline looked worriedly up at him as he disappeared into the library. What she couldn't hear was the sound of an approaching car engine.

"He's here," I told her, but really, it was for everyone in the house.

Caroline let out a small sniffle, launching herself up off the couch, her mind dead-set on finding Archie. With the tension mounting in the house, I kept an eye on him, but he wrapped her gently in a hug.

Turning to Jasper, I asked, "Can you help them, or is it too much?"

He nodded, letting out a deep sigh. Esme walked to the nervous couple, tugging at Caroline lightly.

She cupped the young girl's distraught face. "Caroline, you have to calm down."

"I don't... I can't..."

"I _know_," she countered, swiping at her tears. "But part of being a part of this family means doing what's necessary to keep us safe. I will do my _absolute_ best to see what we can do about getting you back here before school starts. Okay?"

That promise, that vow seemed to settle her down a little, but Archie wasn't happy at all. He locked gazes with me across the room.

_How do I do this, Edward? It goes against everything I know is right._ His inner voice sounded small and scared. _She's _my_ mate. She should stay with _me_!_

My eyes flickered out the window to see a black rental car slowly pulling into the driveway. I understood his possessiveness. It came with being mated. It was impossible not to feel the need to steal them away, keep them all for yourself. And it wasn't just the male side of being mated that felt that way. Caroline was shaking with the need to cling to not only Archie, but Esme, as well, who had become the mother she'd always needed.

Walking to him, I gripped his shoulder. "You have _no_ choice, Archie," I told him as gently as I could. "You have to let her father take her. If you don't, then you risk us all. He won't back down. She's his daughter, and his fears will cause him to make an enormous deal out of this. Alice has seen it. Police will rain down on this house."

He nodded, gathering Caroline in his arms, and Esme led us out of the library, saying, "We'll give you a minute while I greet your father, okay?"

Neither said a word as we turned our backs on them. I could see Mr. Dixon outside on his cell phone. From the conversation and his mind, he was talking to his sister-in-law, Trish. He was telling her he'd arrived in Caribou safely. And that was yet another reason that Archie had to let Caroline leave with her father – too many people knew where they were. We couldn't just steal her away, and she couldn't balk at leaving; it was just too risky.

Tim ended his call and gave the house and yard a long, slow gaze. He noted the changes and the cars in the driveway, and the fears that he'd carried for the last ten years resurfaced. He had no desire whatsoever to come anywhere near this house.

"Damn," Jasper whispered as he and Emmett stood on either side of me. He shook his head and sent a wave of courage and determination Tim's way. "That should help."

Just as Tim reached the front steps and rang the doorbell, my girl let out a soft, "Oh hell..."

I spun her way, only to follow her gaze into the library. "Oh..." I muttered, my eyebrows raising high.

Apparently, the determination that Jasper had pushed out had made its way into the library. Archie had Caroline's face gently cradled in his hands, and they were locked in a kiss that I wasn't sure anyone could stop at this point.

"Hot damn," Emmett snorted, looking to me. "Though the timing..."

"Right," I groaned, smacking his shoulder. "Come on."

We jumped over the sofa just as the doorbell rang one more time.

"Son, what are you doing?" Carlisle asked, coming in from his bedroom.

"Blocking his view of that," I told him, jerking a thumb toward the library. "I'll get the door!" I called just loud enough that Tim noted it from outside.

The problem was that the front door faced the library entryway and the living room. Esme wouldn't have blocked out the kissing couple. She would've opened the door to a straight shot to Tim's daughter wrapped in Archie's embrace. However, if Emmett and I greeted the man, his eyes would land on two boys that were large enough to hide the view of the rest of the house. And hopefully, it would give Archie and Caroline just enough time to break it up.

I opened the door, trying my best to sound polite. "Hello, you must be Caroline's dad."

Tim Dixon's physique definitely fit with what he did for a living. Even though he was on the design end of construction, it was obvious that he still could get his hands dirty. He was a few inches shorter than me, with grayish-hazel eyes and a nervous smile. His face was weathered from working outdoors, and his arms were muscular. He wasn't a large man, but he looked like he knew his way around a hard day's work.

"Tim Dixon," he stated roughly, and he eyed the two of us, wondering if either of us was the Archie in which his daughter was so enamored.

"I'm Edward, and this is my brother Emmett," I said, elbowing Emmett on my left.

"Hey, whassup?" Emmett greeted with a giant grin and a wave of his hand. "I think Caroline's just about ready," he said, shooting a glance over his shoulder and trying his best to not sound sarcastic. "Wanna come in?"

The fears that Tim carried reared their ugly head, and his first thought was to scream no. But Carlisle and Esme stepped forward, the former placing a hand on my shoulder.

_The girls separated them, Edward_, he thought to me with a touch of amusement but then spoke aloud for the benefit of Mr. Dixon. "Thank you, boys," he said, smiling kindly at Tim. "Mr. Dixon... It's nice to meet you face to face. I'm Carlisle Cullen, and this is my wife, Esme. I believe you two have spoken more than we have."

Esme smiled, and Tim instantly noted her beauty.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Tim," Esme gushed, shaking his hand. "Won't you please come in?"

"We really should get on the road..." he muttered but didn't want to be rude.

"Of course, but surely you can have a cup of coffee. I just brewed a pot," she insisted.

Bella's giggle met my ears, but it was her thoughts to me that made shoot a smirk her way. _And I said _you_ dazzle people. You've got nothing on Esme._

Before Tim could protest, he was stepping over the threshold, giving the house a worried gaze. He smiled a little at the fact that it looked nothing like it had when he'd been here. His head spun toward the doorway when he heard his daughter.

"Dad!" she gushed, letting go of Archie's hand and rushed to her father.

He eyed Archie but forced himself to focus on his little girl, who he now hadn't seen in several days. Despite the fact that he was still rather upset with her, he hugged her tightly. I kept my own focus on his thoughts because the scent of her caused him to freeze momentarily. It was familiar, yet alien to him, but in reality, it was Archie's scent. To Tim, it was sweet and slightly unnerving, but he chalked it up to perfumes and detergents.

"I don't know whether to strangle you or hug you to death," he sighed, causing a chuckle to erupt from Esme.

"She's been an angel," she told him. "And as you can see, we have experience in kids her age." She swept a hand around the room, gesturing to all of us.

Jasper and Bella were standing with Archie to keep him calm, but the rest were lounging in the living room in front of a now-paused video game. Esme introduced each and every one of us, finally ending with Archie.

"Archie, come meet my dad," Caroline ordered softly, walking over and taking his hand. "Dad, this is Archie."

Tim scrutinized every inch of poor Archie, making him feel like he was under a microscope. There was something familiar about Archie to him, but he couldn't put his finger on it. My worst fear was that Tim would recognize him, but Archie had been in a starved, withered state the last night the two had stood together in this house.

Archie at least remembered to blink, fidget, and shift from one foot to the other as he worried the same thing I was, but he finally held out his hand. The relief of not being recognized almost overshadowed his fear of meeting his girl's father. Almost.

"It's nice to meet you, sir. Caroline has told me so much about you," he said politely, and immediately, Tim noted his manners, something in which the boy, Grant, had been ignorant.

"Archie," he said almost harshly, accompanied with a brusque nod.

"Let's get you that coffee," Esme urged, guiding Caroline and Tim toward the dining room table.

Emmett and I joined everyone else in the living room as Archie, Caroline, Tim, Carlisle, and Esme took a seat at the table. Esme kept the conversation going as she explained our family – who was adopted, who wasn't, and why even though some of us would've been old enough to have aged out of the foster care system, we were still in the house.

"Some of my kids will be going off to college next year, too," she told him cheerfully. "Emmett, Rose, Kevin, and Adrian will all be leaving us."

"What about you?" Tim asked Archie, but it was Esme that answered.

"Archie is the newest member of our family," she started with a sweet pat on Archie's hand. "He's a little behind on school, but he's doing an amazing job at catching up with Edward, Bella, and Alice, who are juniors this year. We homeschool. It gives us a chance to let them excel or catch up at their own pace. He's hoping to double his efforts in order to start college by the second semester."

I smirked at Jasper and Emmett as Esme's lies rolled smoothly off her tongue. She would do anything to keep up the pretenses, but she always went a step above that, making each and every one of us sound like we were model kids. Tim wanted to ask why Archie was behind, but he didn't get a chance, and Caroline could no longer hold her tongue.

"Dad," she whispered, looking nervously from Esme to her father. "They've invited me back this summer. I want to come. I want to see them all before I have to start classes in Portland."

He grimaced, shaking his head. "Carrie, we've got a lot to talk about before I can say yes to that. You ran away! You told no one where you were going, you lied, you forced yourself on these people, and you cost me a helluva lot of money to come out here to get you. I realize you're eighteen, but you have no idea what your disappearance did to me..."

The last sentence trailed off as he looked around the house again. Memories flashed to the forefront of his mind, and I sat forward, resting my elbows on my knees. Despite all the false claims that he'd given his daughter, the police, and his family, he remembered his wife's misery inside this house with absolute clarity. His pride was what had kept him quiet, but he hadn't lied when he said that the best thing to come out of his marriage was Caroline. Lisa Dixon wasn't just miserable, she was verbally abusive, boarding on almost violent. And Tim suspected that she'd cheated on him in Ohio – another reason he'd forced the move to Caribou.

My eyebrows shot up at that last memory, but what he was dealing with wasn't just fear of the house – because that last night was etched into his memory – it was the guilt of the fact that he honestly wasn't sure he truly missed his wife. He had been damn close to asking for a divorce the week she'd disappeared. The only thing that had stopped him was knowing that it was entirely possible that he'd lose custody of his little girl, and that he was still madly in love with his wife.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," Caroline whispered, looking shattered at the prospect that she wouldn't get to come back. "I needed to see this house."

"I don't care," Tim snapped, sighing a little and closing his eyes.

"It's understandable, Caroline," Carlisle soothed, looking to Tim. "I realize that with all that happened to you in this house that you're a little on edge, but as you can see, your daughter was perfectly safe. In fact, she's been a breath of fresh air in this house."

"She's brought our shy Archie out of his shell," Esme praised, smirking a little at Caroline, who blushed profusely.

Tim set his elbows on the table, both hands wrapping around his coffee cup. "I want to thank you for taking her in," he muttered, giving Caroline a withering glare. "I don't think she understands just how dangerous this little stunt of hers could've been. She was damned lucky she made it here in one piece, not to mention that she stumbled upon decent people living here. It could've gone completely the opposite."

His nostrils flared as he turned to his daughter. "My first instinct is to say no. I'm not sure you deserve the reward for what you've done. I don't care about any recent friendships or...or... _crushes_." He waved a dismissive hand toward Archie, which pissed off not only Caroline, but every member of my family.

But it was Archie's soft, yet firm tone that commanded everyone's attention. "Excuse me, Mr. Dixon... I know that you're upset with Caroline, but it only makes sense that she come here before attending school in the fall. If you won't grant her a visit, then I will go to her." He frowned, meeting the angry glare of Tim Dixon. "Sh-She's told me what happened here, and for that...I'm _truly_ sorry, but I would really like to see her again. You can't blame her for wanting to know her past and herself better, especially when she can't get a straight answer anywhere else."

"Oh shit," Emmett groaned softly enough the humans couldn't hear him, shaking his head slowly. "Kid's gonna piss off dad from the get-go?"

I frowned, gazing across the room to Mr. Dixon to watch his reaction and hear his mind. He was absolutely livid, but he was mad that Archie was slightly right. However, he'd never admit it aloud.

"Archie..." he sneered, shaking his head. "You seem like a nice kid, really, but you two have just met."

"All the more reason for us to see each other again," Archie countered angrily.

"Son, that's enough," Carlisle chided, though with barely any force behind it. He understood why Archie was panicking.

"Tim," Esme said softly. "I realize that it seems quick, but I can tell you that Caroline is a wonderful influence on Archie. You've done an amazing job raising a beautiful and smart young woman. I want you to know that whatever you decide, our home will always be open to her. She's welcome anytime."

"Thank you, Esme," Caroline whispered as tears welled up in her eyes. She knew her father better than any of us, and she assumed the answer was already no, just simply because he could, but she thought to try one more time. "It's not a crush, Dad," she argued weakly. "And I really would like to come before I'm too busy with classes and work. Please?"

"She's eighteen-fucking-years-old!" Rose seethed just below human hearing, but her gaze locked with mine. "Just buy her the damn ticket. It's not like he can stop her!"

"If we have to, we will," I told her. "She's asking his permission to soothe the rift between them, Rose. Not because she actually needs it."

My explanation was short and lacking, and what I wanted to tell them was that Mr. Dixon was well aware that he had no hold on her legally anymore. In fact, it was just about to scare him to death.

Tim shook his head. His worry that he was losing his daughter to not only college and life in general but to a boy was practically palpable. He wasn't ready to face it, and he was too tired from the flight and drive up here. She was and always would be his little girl, the only thing he truly got right in his life, and he didn't want to face that he was losing her.

Instead of answering her, he simply said, "We should get on the road, Carrie. I need to stop for gas before we head south. Get your things together."

"Fuck, it's like that?" Kevin growled low, looking to me. "Seriously, Heavy E?"

Unfortunately, I had to nod that avoidance was all the answer any of us were going to get. I looked to Alice, whose eyes had glazed over blankly. Visions of getting gas, stopping for dinner, a heated conversation at the table, and an uncomfortable silence in the car was all she was able to see. But Tim wouldn't be agreeing to letting Caroline leave any earlier than was necessary to get her to the university – legal age or not.

Bella, who had been watching the entire exchange with a touch of anger, suddenly stood up. "Caroline, I have something for you in the library." She turned her sharp gaze on Mr. Dixon as he stood up from the table. "Her things are packed. They're by the door. We were able to get her a few necessities until she could get back her own things." My Bella delivered that with a cold tone to her voice, and her shield slipped a bit as her eyes drifted toward Caroline.

Mr. Dixon nodded, watching as Bella wrapped a loving arm around Caroline. Archie and I followed them both, but I leaned against the piano as my girl quickly jotted a few things down on a pad of paper.

"Sweet girl, you have to calm down," I soothed her, but I made no move to touch her. "You can't snap at him."

"No," she growled, glaring at me. "He's not even giving them a chance!"

"I know, love," I sighed, "but we'll figure something out. I promise."

Her sweet little heart was breaking for them. It would be months between now and when Caroline was starting college, but that wasn't what was bothering her. It was the unknown. She'd seen Alice's blank look.

"I'm not lying," Archie stated. "If I have to go to California, then I will."

"Archie, that's...sweet, but you can't. It's too sunny," Caroline argued.

"Then we'll travel by night," I added, shrugging a shoulder. "We'll figure it out, Caroline. This can be fixed. And your father...he's just...angry and a little tired right this second. He'll calm down."

"Maybe I won't," she huffed, turning to Archie. "I'm sorry. I told you... He's overprotective."

"You ain't seen nothin' yet," Bella snorted. "Dad can't touch the protection of a mate. Trust me." I chuckled when she shot me a wink, but she handed Caroline a folded up piece of paper. "This is everyone's phone number, my email, and the house phone. And this..." She held up the book _Forever_ that had unleashed it all. "This is so you'll remember what's important. Okay?"

Caroline nodded, tears coursing down her face. "I don't want to go. I just found you..."

"You have to go with him," Archie soothed, hating the words that he was saying, but he had no choice. "If you don't, he'll really get angry. He could...threaten my family."

Caroline shot a look to Bella and then me. "Really?"

"Yes, he's too scared of losing you right now. You have to do as he says," I told her, reaching for Bella's hand.

A sob erupted from her, but she faced Archie, who cupped her face and gently wiped away her tears with his thumbs. He wasn't far from losing it himself. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm just a call away. And we'll see each other soon. When Edward promises something, he means it. We'll figure it out."

I smiled sadly but nodded as Bella wrapped an arm around me.

"Carrie! Let's go!" Tim called from the front door after having loaded her things into the rental car.

Bella and I turned away when Archie kissed his girl one more time. I noted that he never even acknowledged her scent or the pounding of her heart. He simply wanted to soothe himself and her for a brief moment.

"Carrie!" her father boomed again.

Caroline broke away from Archie, pressing her lips to his once more before rushing to Esme, who wrapped her up in a hug.

"It was...amazing meeting you, sweet one," Esme soothed her loud enough that Tim could hear her. She pulled Caroline back and cupped her face. "Our doors are always open. We'll see you soon, okay?"

Another sniffle resounded through the room, but Caroline nodded. "Thank you...for everything."

"Anytime, my dear. Now, you don't want to keep your father waiting. It's already dark," she told her.

"Yes, ma'am," she sighed with a nod.

Caroline hugged everyone, lingering on Bella and then me, kissing my cheek.

"What was that for?" I teased her.

"For being there for him," she whispered. "Don't let him disappear."

"You have my word, Caroline," I told her, making sure she was looking me in the eye. She wasn't worried that Archie would leave; she was worried that he'd turn in on himself. "I'll take care of him until you can take the job back over. All right?"

"Thank you, Edward," she said, trying to smile, but she failed miserably.

When she stepped in front of Archie, he could barely breathe with the need to steal her away, to stop her tears, to not kiss her right there – her father be damned. He didn't want to show any weakness, especially in front of Tim, but his heart was shattering.

"You'll wait for me?" she asked.

"I swear it."

"You'll call me?"

He smiled, though just barely. "Every day."

"You promised me eternity, Archie," she stated, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I meant every word I said to you," he whispered, too aware of Tim's scrutinizing gaze. "Love doesn't even come close."

"No. No, it doesn't," she agreed softly.

"You'd better go."

"'Kay," she sobbed. With one last kiss to Archie's cheek, she bolted from the house and dove into the front seat of the car.

Tim eyed his heartbroken daughter sadly for a brief moment, turning back to my parents. "Thank you again for taking care of her. I...I'm... I can't make a decision about her return right this second, but I assume... I'm guessing we'll be in touch."

"It's completely understandable," Carlisle soothed him, shaking his hand one more time. "I'd be just as frantic over my own girls," he said, gesturing toward Alice, Rose, and Bella.

Tim nodded once, waved, and joined his daughter in the car.

Archie held out just long enough for the car to leave the driveway before he fell to his knees, his hands gripping his hair. Bella's shield couldn't be stopped, and she fell in front of him, wrapping him up tightly and whispering that it would be okay, that we wouldn't keep them apart for long.

My girl lifted her shield just enough so that Carlisle and I could grip his shoulders.

"You'll see her again soon," I whispered in his ear. "Come. Let's get you inside."

He groaned, looking up at me with a pain-filled expression.

"Alice will watch over her. I swear it. Now...I made a promise, Archie. You can't fall apart. You need to be strong when she comes back to you."

Archie nodded and stood up. "What do I do, Edward? I feel like I can't breathe without her already!"

Carlisle wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Like Edward said, you must stay strong. For her. You can't fail her. Eventually, she'll need you...permanently."

His eyes locked with mine because we knew for a fact that Alice's vision had stayed true for Caroline's entire visit. She would be one of us; we just didn't know why or when. He also shared the same worry as Caroline, that Archie would curl up and shut down.

As much as Archie knew what Carlisle was saying was true, he was still wrecked over all that he'd been through in the last few days. However, he was determined to do as his girl asked. Pulling out the phone that Emmett had spent several days teaching him how to use, he typed out a quick message.

**A: You were worth waiting for. Be careful until we can be together again. Love, Archie.**

"She'll love that," Bella whispered, kissing his cheek.

As we turned him toward the open front door, Alice gazed up at him sadly. "I taught her how to make clear decisions, Archie, so that I could keep a better eye on her. I _will_ watch."

He merely nodded, looking around at all of us. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Th-Thank you. I don't know what I'd do—"

"Don't even finish that," Esme chided sweetly. "You don't have to wonder. We're here for you. No matter what happens."

With that said, we guided him back inside the house, our trust relying solely on Alice.

* * *

**A/N... Yeah, Tim's a little...pissed. And scared. Archie, though, he was a rock. You have to be proud of him. And he got his kiss! :)**

**So you got a little more insight on Lisa Dixon...straight from the source. While Lisa's attitude slowly declined, it didn't stop Tim from loving her. But there's a difference in loving someone and knowing when it's time to haul ass. He was just about to that point when Archie's instincts kicked in. People change, relationships morph – unless you're a mated vampire – and I'd like to think that Lisa was simply depressed and taking it out on everyone around her. We'll never know, but it was quite possible she just needed meds. **shrugs** Who knows...**

**And a family meeting was called concerning the future. We will be revisiting that subject again. I promise you.**

**No songs added to the playlist this time.**

**Chpater 36 is written, beta'd, and pre-read. As you can well imagine, the aftermath of this visit and Caroline's departure is not over. Okay? That being said, the next posting will be Wednesday. :) Until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N... I'm going to be honest with you... This chapter will come with a TISSUE WARNING. This is how I saw this whole thing happening from the beginning. Some of you have theories on how all this pans out, and a few of you nailed it perfectly.**

**And don't hate on Tim. He's a parent, but like Kevin said one time, "Father doesn't always know best." Hmm?**

**I'll let you get on with this one. There weren't too many questions this time, so I'll see you guys at the bottom...**

* * *

Chapter 36

**BELLA**

The glow of my laptop screen illuminated the back deck as I opened it up. I glanced up to watch Jasper pace back and forth in the backyard as he spoke quickly, firmly, and decisively to Jenks. I rolled my eyes because Jenks was absolutely terrified of my brother. And for good reasons, I would assume, but still... Jasper loved to exploit it.

My eyes drifted to the library windows, where I could see Edward, Carlisle, and Archie in a deep conversation. Archie was – without a single doubt – completely wrecked. Caroline had been gone for less than an hour, and poor Archie had barely uttered two words once we'd gotten him inside and the door had shut closed.

He was – I was happy to note – checking his phone every fifteen seconds. Although, I worried that he hadn't heard back from Caroline since she'd pulled out of our driveway.

My thoughts and feelings were shielded, simply because every time I looked at Archie and saw his pain and heartbreak, I wanted to fall into Edward's arms. I wanted to apologize for the anguish we'd endured all those years ago when I'd believed the lies he'd told me. I should've seen them for what they truly had been – fears and insecurities. However, I knew my apologies would fall upon deaf ears. We no longer felt them necessary when they'd been said a million times over the last several years. I couldn't help but imagine just how shattered my Edward had been, even though these were completely different circumstances.

A strong, scarred arm reached over my shoulder, punching a few keys on the laptop, only to bring up a strange map. There was a blinking red dot that seemed to be at a standstill just inside the Caribou city limits.

"You're tracking her phone?" I asked Jasper as he grinned and sat down beside me.

"Caroline gave me permission. Anything to ease Archie, she told me." He chuckled, but it died quickly when we studied the screen. "They're still in town. Alice says they decided to eat dinner before traveling as far as they could tonight."

I nodded because it made sense. Staring at the blinking red dot, I willed it to come back, but I knew it wouldn't happen. I also wished Archie would hear from her – a text, a call, anything.

"He took her phone away," Alice said softly, sitting down on my other side. "He made the decision as he was pumping gas that they needed to talk without interruption."

Frowning, I glared out into the darkness that covered the backyard. "He treats her like she's still seven. He's going to lose his mind when she goes off to school."

"She won't make it to Portland," Alice reminded me, and I looked over at her. "College doesn't come for...a long time. And when it does, she's with us."

My eyes drifted back to the library windows, and I flinched when Archie's growl met my ears. It took both Carlisle and Edward to keep him from smashing his phone in frustration. Edward glanced up, first looking to Alice and then to me. I smiled when he told Archie that Caroline wasn't ignoring his text, that she didn't have it on her. He edited out the part that Tim had taken it away, which was for the best, I was sure of it.

"Dixon's a scared, controlling man," Jasper muttered, shaking his head. "And he's extraordinarily angry. I'm not sure who it's directed toward, but he's just...pissed. He was a rollercoaster inside this house. He was scared, angry, desperate, and anxious to leave. And there was an interesting, yet thick layer of guilt in there. But he loves Caroline. That's a definite."

"Yeah, but when does that combination become...unhealthy?" Alice asked. "If I didn't know what becomes of her, then I'd say she'd never live a normal life. He's considering following her here, moving to Portland to be close to her while she's at school. Though, it's still a moot point. No college."

Edward's endless patience rivaled Carlisle's as they continued to soothe Archie. Emmett and Kevin joined them, trying to get him to smile, but it was like pulling teeth. I wanted to tell them all we were lucky he hadn't vanished and holed himself up in his bedroom, though I was pretty sure that's what he really, truly wanted to do.

My eyes burned with the need to shed tears as Edward's face filled with warmth and understanding. If anyone in the house understood the empty, desperate, and panic-filled emotions that Archie was going through, it was my husband. Memories flooded me – a walk into the forest, lies spat at me, and the feeling of complete and utter loss. I remembered the sight of seeing Edward again after long, hard years of pain and abuse and emptiness, and his weary expression matched my own, whether I was willing to admit it then or not.

I felt Jasper's eyes on me, and he smiled sadly when I locked gazes with him.

"It's not the same. I know you're worried Archie is in pain. He's not. They aren't you two," he explained gently. "Your connection runs deeper, a physical thing I can barely wrap my head around. Archie is simply...missing his mate. It's more like...Esme when Carlisle has to work long hours at the hospital. A general empty feeling. And he can't protect his mate while they're apart, so that makes him...edgy and sad."

Nodding, I sighed deeply. "I know. Edward and I are...weird."

Alice giggled. "Special," she corrected. "There's nothing wrong with it. It just...is."

Smiling, I reveled that my family had extensive knowledge of Edward's and my connection. They had been scared of it at first, almost overcompensating for it, but we had learned to manage it just like our thirst. If Edward and I had to be apart, it was planned, plotted, and maintained with the utmost care and concern. Once back together, we were left alone to allow that part of us to heal, reconnect. With Edward, the boys kept things light and easy. With me, Alice would ramble on and on to me about whatever Edward was doing. Phone calls and texts were an absolute must.

Caroline had asked me if our connection scared me. I'd said no, and I'd meant it. It was now a puzzle piece that made up...Edward and Bella. Alice was right; it just was.

I turned to Jasper. "You said Archie wouldn't survive leaving her."

"I did," he agreed with a single nod, giving the library window a cursory glance. "I meant it. Alice saw that if Caroline hadn't come here, she would no longer exist. She also saw that if Archie hadn't revealed us for what we are, then she would go home angry, which again, resulted in her death. Whether Archie met Caroline or not, we would've lost him eventually. He's not Edward."

Jasper voice was firm, and I urged him with a nod to go on.

He smiled, huffing a laugh. "Edward was and always will be extremely stubborn. When Alice and I first met this family, he was the first to step up to the plate to help me with our diet. No matter what I did, said, or insults I threw his way, he simply shoved my ass out the door and made me hunt. It didn't matter. I'm sure that he could see I'd meant none of it through my thoughts, but he never said so.

"As time went on and I started to get to know him, I could see just how unhappy he was. Truly unhappy. But he trudged through every day without complaint. Oh, he complains now...for your benefit," Jasper said with a chuckle, "but back then...he never said a word."

I grinned, and a giggle escaped me when sweet, warm, honey eyes met mine through the library window before they rolled so hard, I was sure Edward saw his own brain. We were keeping our voices down low, but my Edward could hear Jasper's thoughts.

"Ass," Jasper snorted when Edward shot me a grin, another eye roll, and a wink before turning back to Archie and Carlisle. "Anyway, not once did he ever consider leaving us. He'd done it once and vowed to never do it again. I'm sure that some part of my brother stayed out of pure loyalty to Carlisle, and he'd rather cut off a foot than to hurt Esme, but not once did he think to end things."

Alice was nodding silently in agreement but added, "He'd leave us for months, but it was to give himself a break. He would always come back."

Nodding, I could understand that, but I looked back to Jasper for him to finish.

"When _you_ stumbled into our lives," Jasper sighed, wearing a smile, "that's when things changed. He was absolutely ecstatic that he'd found you but utterly petrified over the 'what ifs.' And when he left you, he was as close to dead inside as I'd ever felt. Unhappy, I could handle, but total blackness was something different. He was guilt, self-hatred, and anger personified. And that was why he didn't stay with us. I felt it all, along with my own guilt."

Jasper held up a hand when I opened my mouth to tell him there was nothing to be guilty over. "I know, I know. And I love you for it, but I'm not done. _Even then_...when things were at their lowest for Edward, he still never stopped trudging. He slowed down, wallowed in it for a while, but he _kept going._"

He leaned closer, whispering, "Archie...despite the fact that he and Caroline aren't physically connected like you and Edward, wouldn't handle things with the same grace. He's strong, definitely, but he's also extremely fragile. His general makeup is to shut down and quit because he's done it his whole life – human and immortal. Had Caroline never appeared, he would still have followed us, but he wouldn't have stayed more than a decade. I'd almost promise you that. If something happens to the _one thing_ he considers to be worth having in this life, he'll be useless. He'll shut down, turn in on himself, and stop feeding again. We'd have no choice but to end his suffering. He's not Marcus, who can push on without his mate. He hates this life, no matter how much he loves us – because he really does – but it would never be enough, and he eventually would beg for death."

My heart hurt for Archie as I gazed unseeingly back at the blinking red dot flashing on the computer screen. It bleeped once and started to move. A brief moment of hope was shattered when it turned south instead of north back toward us. I didn't think Tim would bring his daughter back, but the romantic inside of me was wishing for a miracle.

"We should go in. It's about to..." Alice paused dramatically enough for a single fat drop of rain to splat onto the table. "Rain."

She grinned when I snorted, rolling my eyes at her. "Smart ass," I murmured, closing up my computer and following her and Jasper back inside the house.

We wandered through the living room and into the library. Edward wearily held his arms out for me, and I walked to him, standing between his legs. He hugged me close, and I couldn't resist running my fingers through his hair as Carlisle spoke to Archie in soft tones. He was talking futures and possibilities, even though Archie was listening to none of it. His eyes were on his phone, and he jumped when it rang out loudly.

The relief of a message from Caroline was practically palpable, but the sadness was still etched on Archie's handsome face when he looked up at us. "She's left Caribou."

That said, he stood up, walked to the bookcase door, and descended into his basement.

"Leave him," Edward stated, but he was looking toward Carlisle. "He just needs time." He paused for a moment. "Yes, I'm sure." My beautiful man gazed up at me with sorrowful eyes. "Why are you closed to me?"

Lifting my shield, I let him into my mind. _Sorry, sweetheart. I just thought you needed to focus on Archie. My heart hurts for them, and I didn't think I should add to it._

He smiled sweetly, cupping my face. "I appreciate your concern, but I need it, sweet girl."

"Fair enough. Have at it, mind reader," I teased him with a grin.

He kissed my lips. "There it is," he sighed in relief. "That's much better."

Placing a hand on the side of Edward's handsome face, I stayed standing between his legs, but his arms remained wrapped all the way around me. Brushing a curl from the middle of his forehead, I leaned down to press a long, slow kiss there, inhaling deeply the scent that mattered most.

We were quiet. In fact, the whole house was pretty quiet; the only sounds were hushed conversations and nonsensical things coming from the television turned down low. Edward and I had our own private way of communicating.

_You okay, baby?_ I asked, and he nodded but sighed deeply, pulling me to his lap. _Is Archie okay? I mean, is he going to push through this?_

Edward nodded again, his eyes sweeping over my face, and I smiled.

_It's okay to be thankful, Edward. I see that you're struggling. This is bringing back a lot of memories for me, too. Everyone, actually. It's okay to hurt for him, to wish things were different. And it's...honorable of you that you're taking care of him, like I'm assuming everyone tried to take care of you._

He hugged me closer, burying his face into my neck. "They tried, love," he murmured softly against my skin. "I would have none of it. And I am...spectacularly grateful I have you."

Wrapping my arms around his shoulder and head, I held him close. I nuzzled his sharp jaw, dropping small kisses to it. _Yeah, well... I didn't exactly take to help, either. Archie and Caroline aren't in physical pain, baby. They'll miss each other, but we'll get her back. She's a legal adult. There's only so much her father can do._

My derisive tone couldn't be stopped. I found Tim Dixon to be a stubborn ass, weak. I respected that she lived under his roof, that he was still responsible for her well-being and support for school, but he was blinded by his fears and insecurities. Or maybe I was still that hopeless romantic that had to have an antagonist in the story upon which to focus my hate.

Edward chuckled, kissing my neck with a loud, suckling sound. "God, baby...I love you. Always with the book references." He pulled back, smiling at me and tucking my hair behind my ear. "Your hate may be slightly...um, overzealous, but Caroline's father was...interesting. His mind was filled with guilt, something Jasper felt, I believe."

We looked up when most of the family wandered in to listen to Edward.

He turned back to me. "He'd told Caroline the truth. He had loved his wife. Deeply. And he'd been correct when he explained to her that things changed, that they became different people, very _busy_ different people. However, his trust in her was...nonexistent. Before they moved here, he suspected that Lisa was cheating. In order to try to save his marriage, he moved them out of Ohio to here. It only exacerbated the problem. His pride, his fear of losing Caroline, and his tenacity to get back to the way things were kept his mouth shut. But the week that Lisa disappeared, he had toyed with the idea of divorce." He sighed, looking over to the bookcase doorway, where Archie was standing silently listening to him. "There were a lot of shouting matches, thrown objects, and curses that happened inside this house. Tim Dixon is grateful that his daughter remembers none of it, though he suspects that she has started to remember bits and pieces."

His head turned to our parents. "No, it wasn't that he disliked us. He truly liked meeting Esme, but he's selfish when it comes to Caroline. Almost to the point of obsession."

"That would make sense, son," Carlisle agreed with a nod. "Considering what happened before and after Lisa died. His whole life has been about taking care of her, providing for her. I assume he'll come around, and if he doesn't, then we'll do as Rose said. We'll just send her the tickets this summer."

Alice huffed angrily. "Won't happen."

"Why?!" Archie growled, his fists balling up at his sides.

"Nothing's changed, Archie..." she said sadly.

He sighed, shook his head, and walked back downstairs to his room, slamming the bookcase door behind him, which caused a few books to topple off the shelves.

"Leave him!" Edward stated firmly to Alice and Esme, who had started to follow. "He's feeling everything all at once. Just...wait."

I could see that my sweet man was taking his vow to Caroline seriously. He was watching over Archie like a guardian angel, and I couldn't love him more for it. And I could well imagine all the things our sad friend was feeling – anger, frustration, worry, and heartache. And Edward had the advantage of seeing when Archie just needed time to process and when he needed to be pulled into interaction with the family. It was a delicate line to walk. Caroline had picked the perfect person to watch over her Archie in her absence.

"I promised her," Edward whispered, his brow furrowing at my thoughts.

"I know."

It wasn't so long ago that my brothers had made the same vow to me, to protect Edward for me when we were apart. I pressed another kiss to his forehead as my eyes drifted to the now rain-spattered window. Lightning flickered across the night sky, lighting it up with white, purple, and blue. Some deep down instinctual part of me stirred at the sight of lightning, wind, and rain, aching to go out in it, to lose myself with my mate. The timing was, of course, not right, but the draw to storms would always be there.

Edward's hands gripped my thighs in warning. His eyes met mine, and I could see his struggle not to let them blacken at the sound of my thoughts.

I snorted. "Oops," I sighed, changing to communicating silently. _I know, I know. Sorry, Edward. It's not the right time...blah, blah, blah. _I shot a wink his way, but my smile faltered and my body jerked when my shield pulled roughly toward the basement. "Should I go to him?" I asked.

"You can try, love," Edward said softly, setting me on my feet.

Alice and Esme took that as permission to follow. I picked up the few fallen books and put them back on the shelf, reaching to unlock it. I spun when the sound of Alice gasping cry met my ears. By the time I made it to her, she was falling to her knees. Jasper met me by her side, the whole house reacting.

"Alice, what is it?" Jasper asked, but she would only shake her head.

"Jesus," Edward whispered, coming to kneel in front of her. "Show it again, Alice."

The bookcase door opened behind me, but my focus was on Edward and Alice. They were frozen, gazes locked, and each wearing expressions of shock.

Alice snapped out of it, grabbing the front of Edward's shirt. "You've got to go, Edward! You and Carlisle...you're the only ones that can go! You're the only ones that can handle it."

Edward gripped his hair and shot a look to me before standing up abruptly. "Emmett, Jasper, I need you to stay by the phone, but don't follow. Not yet, anyway." He spun to me. "Bella, sweetheart, please, please stay with Archie. _Do not_ let him leave this house. Understand?"

I nodded fervently but waited for the whys to exit Edward's mouth.

He turned to Carlisle. "We'll take my car. You need your bag."

The whole family gasped at that last statement, but it was Archie's low growl that caused us to jump.

"Stop!" he snarled. "Edward, tell me! What happened?"

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

Looking to Alice one more time, I watched as the one thing we'd been unable to see concerning Caroline came to fruition. Jasper had been right all along. It had been an accident. Or at least, it would be. Alice's timing was off just a little. She couldn't tell whether it was happening now, or soon. However, the result was still the same, and Carlisle and I needed to act quickly. Otherwise, we would lose Caroline altogether.

I steeled myself for Archie's reaction. "Archie, I can't explain it all. I don't have time. But Alice sees a car accident."

"No!" he snarled, lunging for me, but he was immediately caught up in Bella's shield. "Edward...no!"

Alice shot into action, shoving me toward Carlisle, who had just returned, medical bag in hand. "We've got him. Go to her!" she commanded, standing in front of Archie. "Look at me, Arch. You've got to relax. I'll tell you what I've seen..."

Emmett tossed me the keys to the Volvo at the same time Jasper looked up from Bella's laptop.

"Brother, they're south of here...about sixty miles," he said, pointing to the screen.

Once I'd memorized which route to take, I spun to Bella. "This will separate us, Bella. It'll hurt, love. I need you to be strong until I get back in range. Okay?"

"Yeah... Yes! Just go, Edward," she answered, kissing my lips roughly.

My instinct to shelter Bella from pain was hard to ignore, but I nodded to Carlisle before we bolted out the front doors and into the car. Due to the slick grass, I spun out in the yard, which made me cringe at what Esme would say. Once we were on the highway, Carlisle turned to me.

"What did you see?" he asked.

"There was a reason we couldn't know for certain why Caroline left but then became one of us," I told him quickly. "It was a last-second decision while driving in the rain. It might or might not have happened, so nothing was ever clear. It was so blurry that it really never existed."

"Edward," Carlisle sighed in frustration.

"Sorry," I muttered, trying to focus. "Nothing became clear until Tim Dixon decided to avoid a traffic accident on the highway and take to the back roads." I looked over at him. "He's too tired, too upset with Caroline, and it's way too rainy for him to have done that, but the split second decision to go that way changed _everything_." I pushed the gas pedal until our surroundings were a blur. "His reaction time is slow. A deer jumps out in front of him..." My voice trailed off, but Carlisle nodded.

"He loses control," he surmised. "It's the butterfly effect..."

"Yes," I answered him but hissed long and hard when my chest exploded in pain. My knuckles bulged as the steering wheel creaked under the pressure in which I was squeezing. "Christ," I panted, trying to breathe. I'd just crossed over the limit of Bella's and my connection.

Carlisle gripped my shoulder. His mind urged me to relax, if only for a moment. I swallowed thickly, finally nodding when the pain settled down into a dull throb instead of the feel of a twisting knife.

I nodded to him in thanks.

"What are the possible outcomes, son?" he asked, not only to keep me focused, but to know what he was up against.

"Too many to consider, but they're...hurt."

Carlisle was silent for a few minutes. He realized now why Alice had insisted that it be the two of us. Both of us were medically trained, both of us had better control around human blood than the rest, and both of us could handle whatever emergency we found. Though, he assumed that Bella was needed to keep Archie inside the house.

"Yes. All of that," I sighed, gripping at my hair.

The scene that unfolded in Alice's vision had been shocking, if not a little scattered, because there were still things unseen. The black rental sedan that Tim Dixon was driving was upside down in the ditch. It looked like he had overcompensated when he'd swerved to miss the deer, which resulted in loss of control. The car had flipped.

However, time was of the essence. Alice saw us not making it to them in time, and we lost them both. She saw Tim's death, Caroline's agony, and a shattered cell phone. She saw blood, Carlisle's quick work of trying to help, and me talking to Mr. Dixon, who looked penned beneath a crushed dashboard. And finally, she saw Emmett and Jasper setting the car on fire to cover it all up like the gas tank exploded. One vision, Caroline was taken over by flames, and another, she wasn't in the car at all.

I pushed my Volvo way over a hundred miles per hour. The back roads were luckily deserted due to the late hour and the terrible weather. I couldn't focus on what it would do to Archie to lose his mate. I just couldn't. It would be the most unfair thing life could to do an immortal that had already suffered so much. I'd heard everything Jasper had told my Bella. Archie was simply not strong enough to handle it. Although, most of us would beg for death if something happened to our mates. Bella and I, on the other hand, wouldn't be given a choice. Our connection was too strong. The death of one would result in the death of the other. Our bodies would physically fail us.

Carlisle's cell rang, and he answered it with the speakerphone. "Emmett..."

"Yeah, um..." He stammered, and I could hear my girl arguing with Archie in the background. It sounded like chaos. "Jasper wanted me to tell you that you're closing in on them, but Alice said to take the next side dirt road and park because you don't want to be seen. She says that the way the car is... Well, they wouldn't have been found by passing cars."

"Got it," I said, pushing the car's limits.

"And Ed...she also said to tell you that it's okay to tell Tim the truth...whatever that means," he murmured.

"I'm sure I'll find out," I sighed, keeping my eyes open for the dirt road, but I understood how Alice's visions worked. I would know that moment when it was upon me.

The road turned to the left, and up ahead on the right was the dirt road that I needed. Slowing down, I squelched to a stop, grateful for the SUV's larger tires. The scent of spilled gasoline, burned rubber, and brake dust filled the car once I opened the doors, but the potent aroma of blood – both human and animal – set my throat aflame.

Rubbing my chest, I saw the deer's carcass discarded up a little way. Breaking out into a run, we passed it by, the scent of metal and blood drawing nearer. It looked like Tim had clipped the deer, because as I looked down the steep embankment, I could see how the whole accident played out. Tim had swerved at the bounding deer, locking up the brakes and clipping the animal, but when the car started to spin, he'd turned the wheel the wrong way too sharply and flipped off the road.

Carlisle and I jumped down at the same time, landing at the rear of the car. It was twisted metal and shattered glass. The engine was still slightly warm, so we weren't that late. There were two heartbeats, thankfully. However, one wasn't in the car.

"Christ," Carlisle breathed, rushing toward the trees, and I followed him.

We both fell to our knees on either side of Caroline's crumbled body. Her breathing was ragged, her pretty blonde locks were stained red, and her leg was broken, jutting off at an odd angle. Carlisle immediately got to work, assessing, touching, talking.

"Caroline, sweetheart, can you hear me?" he said gently. But he looked up at me. "Her lung is collapsed, that leg is shattered, and possibly this arm, too, and she may have internal bleeding..."

I nodded, lifting her eyelids to see dark and dilated pupils. "Concussion, too."

"Edward...go check on her father," he told me gently. "I'll do what I can here."

I ran to the driver's side of the car, kneeling down to look inside. It seemed the car had landed mostly on the front, top of the car, so the dashboard was collapsed into the seats. Miraculously, Tim's window was intact. The scent of blood was less near him, his heartbeat growing fainter, but the sound of his breathing and internal functions were labored. Tim Dixon was hemorrhaging internally.

"Help," he barely uttered.

"Mr. Dixon, close your eyes," I ordered, balling up my fist and wiping rain from my face.

His shocked gaze flashed to mine, but he didn't have the wherewithal to focus on why I was there. He did as I said, squeezing his eyes shut. I punched the window, thankful that the tinting held the shards together so that I could pull it away. Tossing it aside, I assessed the inside of the car, how Tim was penned, and monitored his heart rate. His blood pressure was dropping. Quickly.

"Carrie..." he wheezed.

"My father's with her. He's doing the best he can, okay?" I verified, glad he was able to listen and interact. I reached in, felt his jugular for his pulse, and sighed deeply. "Mr. Dixon, can you move at all?"

He struggled, only to wince in pain. He panted at the exertion and shook his head no. "I can't feel my feet."

"Okay, close your eyes again." I stood up, wrenching the car's door completely off the car in order to get a better view of things.

"How... Who... What?" he sputtered, but the pain was too much. He stopped talking, but his thoughts were anarchy. He wanted to know how we'd gotten to him so fast, what was happening with Caroline, and he wanted to sleep. He was tired, but most of that was due to his injuries. When he realized I'd just ripped off a car door, he gazed up at me. _What is he?_

Taking a deep breath, I said, "I'm going to try to help you, but you have to stay calm."

"Carrie?"

I paused, listening to Carlisle's mind as he pushed a small tube into her chest to inflate her collapsed lung. She took a deep, healthy breath, only to start coughing. The cough was wet, thick, and I knew her chances were slim.

"She's alive," I told him. "She was thrown from the car, it looks like."

"Took...her...seat belt...off," he panted. "Phone..."

I nodded, seeing more from his mind than what his sputtered words could tell me. Caroline had dropped her phone to the floorboard of the car. She'd taken her seat belt off to reach for it, but it had been ill-timed.

"Carlisle, his legs are trapped," I called out.

"If you move him, you're risking him going into shock," he told me, though I knew that. I was just making sure. "He hasn't been trapped for long, but you could risk losing him."

"Dammit," I groaned, looking into the back seat. "Tim, I need you to stay with me," I instructed, reaching for a discarded T-shirt from the pile of belongings that were scattered everywhere inside the car. "I'm going to cover your face to protect you, but you have to focus on my voice. I'm going to try to pull you out, okay?"

He whimpered a little but nodded acquiescence. His eyes were wide and frightened, filling with tears of pain when I lightly draped the material over his face. Reaching into the car, I gripped the steering wheel, wrenching it up and out of the way. Bracing one hand on the roof of the car and another on the dashboard, I pushed upward, releasing Tim's legs. I gripped his shirt, dragging him out of the car and onto the wet grass.

I pulled the shirt away, now able to focus on his true injuries. His feet were still not moving, but his hands were free, and they gripped my shirt with surprising strength.

"Help her...not me!"

"We're doing what we can...for both of you," I told him. "Try not to move, okay? I'm going to get some supplies."

I flew to Carlisle's bag, grabbing what I could – bandages, a suture kit, and morphine. I stopped when scared, red-rimmed blue eyes opened.

"Edward," she whispered.

"Hey." I fell beside her, pushing her hair from her face, which made her wince because there was a rather large cut above her eye. "Relax. Carlisle's going fix you up."

"My dad..."

"I'm doing my best, but he's pretty hurt."

"Archie... You have to tell him, Edward," she begged, her breathing and heartbeat picking up. "You have to tell him I love him."

"Easy, Caroline," Carlisle soothed, but his eyes met mine. _She's not looking good, son. I'm...I don't know if we can get her to a hospital in time._

"You can't... Just...do your best. Let me get back to him." I shook my head, whispering low enough Caroline couldn't hear. "He won't make it. That's a fact. His internal damage is too much. I can smell the bleeding. If I had to guess...his liver and kidneys took a helluva hit." Looking back to Caroline, I smiled softly. "Hang in there, okay? I'm not telling Archie anything. You'll tell him," I vowed to her, because if I had to change her myself, Archie would not lose his mate.

She tried to smile, but it appeared more like a grimace, hissing when her head throbbed.

I squeezed her hand gently before returning in a flash back to Tim.

"You're not real," he whispered, his eyes squeezing shut with the pain. "You're too young to know what you're doing..."

"I assure you, Mr. Dixon. I'm very real," I said, maintaining a soothing tone as I started cleaning the wound on his head. "And I'm...older than I look."

His mind wandered, and he was growing too tired to speak, but he thought about me, the house, the past. When his mind settled on the memories of meeting my family, I threw caution to the wind.

"The house isn't haunted now, nor was it ever haunted," I told him, smiling when he realized I'd heard his thoughts. He didn't want to believe it. "No, I can hear you," I said, tapping my temple, now trusting Alice with why honesty was the best policy. The reason was, Tim wasn't going to live to tell anyone. "Most of my family is rather...talented. One can see the future. She saw...this," I explained to him, gesturing to the car with a single finger.

The rain had slowed down just a bit, but I used the T-shirt from before to wipe his face gently.

"How? Why?" he simply asked, unable to articulate more.

I sniffed, lifting his shirt to feel his abdomen for internal damage. He was a mess inside, and I groaned. "My name is Edward Anthony Masen Cullen. I'm a hundred and fifteen years old," I told him solemnly. "Your Caroline has now become a very important member of my family."

"You can...save her."

"Yes."

"Do it. Fuck helping me...go!" he panted, groaning in pain.

"My father's with her. I assure you, she couldn't be in better hands," I vowed, reaching up to wipe away the blood that was collecting in the corner of his mouth.

"She'll live...she'll have a life?" he verified.

"Yes. A _different_ life, but my sister has seen her future. Caroline is extraordinarily happy," I assured him. He couldn't decide if I was a demon or an angel, and even though for most of my life, I'd assumed the former, I said, "I'm neither, sir."

He wheezed again, coughing harshly, and I held him up to help him breath a little easier. Placing another shirt behind his head, I squeezed his shoulder.

His thoughts fell to Lisa, and he wondered if he'd see her again. He felt cold, yet hot at the same time, but he could only feel that down to his mid-thigh.

I sighed deeply. "You're paralyzed, and you're bleeding internally. I wish... There's not much I can do... I can make you comfortable," I offered, holding up the vial of morphine and swiftly filling the needle with the liquid inside.

"Wait," he coughed, gripping my wrist. "You say Carrie's important. How?"

"She's the...soulmate of my brother," I told him. "If she dies, he dies."

"Archie..."

"Yes. You've met him before. He's saved her before," I told him cryptically, but he nodded, his memories of a familiar smell flashing to the forefront of his mind. "He was who told you to get out of the Varner house ten years ago. He was...not the same then, but he knew he what he was capable of."

"Lisa?" he asked, sounding hopeful and doubtful at the same time.

Squeezing his hand that was still gripping my wrist, I said, "She never left you." It was the simplest explanation and what he needed to hear.

_Will I see her again?_ He thought this mostly to himself, but I answered anyway.

"Yes." It was the only answer I could give him. I had to believe that he'd see her again. It was what I would've wanted to hear – that I'd see the love of my life on the other side.

_You'll take care of her? _His mind showed me his daughter, flashes from when she was born all the way up until the last heated conversation they'd had in the restaurant in Caribou.

"I swear it. She'll always be taken care of, loved, and supported. She'll never want for anything for as long as she lives. She will be surrounded by the best and strongest protection you can imagine," I vowed.

Pain seized his body, causing him to bow up off the ground, and more blood trickled out of his mouth. "Take her... Don't let her see this. She's suffered enough."

His thoughts turned to Caroline, how her sobs had been inconsolable after pulling away from Archie. He'd been frantic with what to do, and he never wanted her to hurt like that again.

_Edward, he's dying. I can hear it from here._

"I know," I growled low enough Tim couldn't hear me. "I can't stop it, Carlisle! Even if I stabilized him, he'll never walk again. And that's if he survived the ride. The closest hospital is back in Caribou."

_Son, I have to make a decision here... Soon, Caroline will be beyond what venom can fix._

I panicked suddenly, looking down at Tim Dixon. His breathing was shallow, his eyes glazed in pain because I'd yet to administer the morphine.

"I can stop this... I can offer you a choice," I told him softly. "The result is immortality, endless life, but you wouldn't be human. You would become...more. You would walk this Earth for eternity."

_Edward..._ Carlisle warned in my mind, but I ignored him.

I couldn't not offer him the choice. My mind fell to my Bella. If something like this had happened to Charlie, I would've made the same offer. The circumstances wouldn't have made a difference. However, Tim was far too gone to make the decision. He shook his head no, his eyes flickering to the syringe in my hand. He wanted no more pain. He couldn't take it. The last thoughts were of a conversation he'd had with his brother while in the airport waiting to board for Maine.

"_Timmy, you can't hold onto Carrie forever," Jack said with a groan. "She's an adult, about to embark on making something of herself. If you follow her, she'll never grow up. She'll always be stunted."_

"_She's all I have, Jack," Tim countered, sagging in the seat of the airport._

"_And you've done amazing with her, but you have to let her go. She's already pushing you away because you're smothering her. You push too much now, and you'll lose her forever. She'll run from you, and she won't look back. You're lucky she called you this time. Next time, it'll be a guy she escapes with..." Jack sighed deeply over the line. "She has to learn to make her own mistakes. You can't cushion everything. Hiding behind your memories of Lisa is what made her run in the first place. You practically lied to her her whole life."_

"_I know..."_

As I slid the needle into Tim's arm, I leaned closer. "Caroline knows the truth, Tim. She knows that you were protecting her. She's glad that you did it. She doesn't think you're a liar; she believes in you. She said that you're still her hero, okay?" I said this, remembering how sad Caroline had been when she thought she couldn't believe a word her father said. Now that she knew the truth, her faith in her father was completely restored.

A tear slipped from his eye, rolling back into his hair as he nodded, but a small smile tugged at the corner of his now blood-lined lips. His lungs filled quickly, his breathing shallow, but the effects of the morphine took hold. His mind registered blissful, numb, and cold. He was slipping away, but at least he was no longer in pain. His heart beat once, twice, and the third was the last. I sighed, bowing my head and shaking it. I sent a prayer up with him that he found peace from fears and sadness.

"Edward..." Carlisle called, and with one last glance at Tim's body, I ran to his side.

"I have to change her," he stated, looking to me. "She'll be too weak if I wait any longer, but we'll have to drive her back as the venom takes hold."

Gazing down at her, I brushed a hair off of her cheek, and her eyes opened. "Hangin' in there?" I asked her, trying to smile and not wanting to tell her about her father just yet. Things were about to get a whole lot more painful for her before they got better.

But apparently, it was written all over my face. "He's gone?" she whimpered softly.

"I'm so sorry, Caroline," I told her. "I tried. He was way too injured."

A sob erupted from her, and she gasped, "I... Archie..."

"Look at me," I soothed, leaning closer to her. "We'll take you to Archie, but you have to tell us what you want. Do you want this?" I asked, gesturing to my body.

"I want Archie," she said simply, looking to Carlisle. "Please... I want to see Esme..."

I spun my gaze to my father, whose expression had completely melted at that last confession. "She knows what we're offering her. She's aware... The pain is too much. You can't allow her to die. Archie won't survive it. She's his _mate_, Carlisle. You would've changed Bella for me."

He looked to me, his expression determined. _Call your brothers. We'll need to cover some of this up._

My phone beeped, and I pulled it out to see a text from Bella.

**B: The boys are already on their way. Alice said to start her change now, but you'll have to hold her in the car, Edward. She'll fight you once the venom starts. I'd call you, but Archie can't hear this right now.**

**E: Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Love you.**

I looked to my father. "Emmett and Jasper have already left." When he nodded, I looked to Caroline, rubbing the wrinkle to her brow when she flinched in pain. "Caroline, look at me," I ordered softly. Deep blue locked with mine, and I smiled sadly. "I know it hurts, but you have to be strong for us...for Archie, okay? It's about to get worse, and we're sorry for that, but I promise you that when it's over, you'll never hurt again. And you'll be with Archie. All right?"

She cried softly but nodded. The poor thing was scared to death, but she was completely aware of what was about to happen.

I looked to Carlisle when his thoughts asked how my control was.

_I__ think we need to get as much venom into her as quickly as possible, Edward. Is your control stable enough to help me?_

"Yes, sir," I sighed, grimacing a little, but the reality of it was that no blood was ever as tempting as my Bella's. As sweet as human blood could be, it no longer appealed to me as it once had. Maybe it was Carlisle's teaching, maybe it was Bella's faith in me, but I actually had to force my instinct to start working.

"Now," Carlisle ordered, picking up her left wrist as I took the right.

Venom flooded my mouth before my teeth sliced through the soft tissue, but I closed off my throat to the explosion of blood that hit my tongue. Pulling away, I started adding small boosts of venom to different points on the now whimpering girl – knees, ankles, the crook of her elbow. Carlisle bent to her neck, giving her the biggest amount yet, and I could smell the venom swirling through her body as it started to take hold.

The sound of tires on wet concrete met my ears from up on the road. Glancing up, I could see Emmett's truck.

"Jasper!" I called, getting up from beside Caroline and running back to the overturned car. Both my brothers stared down at Mr. Dixon sadly but looked to me. "We had no choice."

"Yeah, we know, Ed. Alice called us," Emmett said solemnly, placing a hand on my shoulder. "We'll have to make this look like a gas leak or engine fire or somethin'."

"Help Carlisle keep her calm, at least until we leave," I told Jasper, and he nodded and trotted off. "Em, let's put him back inside the car."

With careful maneuvering, my brother and I repositioned Tim back into his trapped state. Emmett eyed the car, taking mental note of all of Caroline's belongings. He wanted to take them, but we had to leave them in order to make it look like she was inside the vehicle when it exploded.

"Dad, load her up! This is about to go up," he yelled, pulling out matches.

Our father gently scooped up Caroline into his arms, holding her as best he could as she writhed in pain. He handed her to me, turning to clean up his medical trash. Emmett tossed a lit match onto the pool of gasoline that had slowly collected at the back of the sedan.

By the time I'd made it to my Volvo, the flames had grown higher, brighter, stronger. I set Caroline into the back seat, Jasper flew into the passenger seat, and I tossed Carlisle my keys for him to drive. She curled into me once I sat next to her, her body shaking, her mind completely overtaken with the fire, the burn, the pain, despite all that Jasper could send her way, because he took the immortal change very, very seriously. His life experience made him that way.

"Emmett says he'll follow us. He's going to make sure the authorities find him," I said softly, meeting my father's gaze.

With a nod, Carlisle pulled out at the same time that the car in the ditch exploded. Caroline flinched, gripping me ferociously.

"Easy," I whispered, holding her as gently as I could, even though her skin hurt with my touch. "Focus on my voice, okay? Know that we're taking you to Archie."

With that said, I started to hum Bella's lullaby, hoping that it would soothe her. My sweet girl had said it had helped give her some peace during her change. I just hoped it helped poor Caroline.

Carlisle pulled out his phone, dialing home quickly. With a deep sigh, he said, "We're on our way, Esme. Be ready. As soon as she's changed, we'll have to move."

"I understand," she said firmly. "Be careful. We'll take care of everything."

* * *

**A/N... Playing on Alice's talent isn't easy. I've said it before. Decisions are what drives her visions, but it takes various decisions to change someone's course. The reason she could never see the car accident was because it was just that...an accident, like Bella's papercut on her birthday. It took several different things to happen in order for Tim to decide to get off the main highway. That being the case, Alice couldn't see it until it was too late. Make sense? And more is explained from Alice herself in the next chapter.**

**My pre-reader, Goober, said this was a hard chapter, simply because it tugged on the heart from the get-go. Archie's broken heart, Jasper's comparison of him and Edward, and then finally Alice's fall to her knees. And she felt for Edward at the end when he couldn't help Mr. Dixon.**

**No songs on the playlist this time around.**

**The next chapter is finished and off to the beta and pre-readers. I'm sure you have many a question and opinion, so let me have it. ;) The next chapter will post on Sunday. Until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N... First things first... My heart goes out to my firefighters this week, who lost an EMT member of their family during a mudslide. :( So take a moment of silence for EMT Mark Kinder...**

**Okay, so I know the last chapter was a roller coaster, where everything was right there on the surface. Most of you were proud of Edward, with the exception of one or two. A large portion of you were sad for the loss of Tim as far as Caroline went, but everyone was pretty happy that Archie would get his girl. That about sum it up? ;)**

**One question that was posed... Do they have to move? Yes. Alice saw the move, first of all. Second, as far as they are outside of Caribou, they are still too close to human temptation for a newborn. With the accident that happened way too close, it's better to be safe than sorry. It's better to take Caroline away to someplace she can truly let loose. If you'll remember, there was always that same worry when Bella had originally been changed.**

**So... I know that some of you appreciated the decision making process of Caroline's change, so I know you'll like a bit of what everyone else was feeling back at home in this chapter. I'll let you get on with it. LEMON WARNING and a few more steps taken... See me at the bottom...**

* * *

Chapter 37

**BELLA**

"Alice! _Please_!" Archie begged, his eyes wild with worry, but I held him steadfast in my shield and my arms as he physically shook. We watched my sister pace frantically in the library.

She'd been pacing since she'd had to send Emmett and Jasper right out the door not twenty minutes after Carlisle and Edward, even more when I was told to send my husband a text giving the go-ahead for everything. I could see the turmoil etched across her face. Whatever decisions my husband and our father were making had been shocking for her. And I wasn't so sure it was because this moment had been blurry in her visions since the beginning. Every now and then, I wished for Edward's gift, if only to see what she was seeing. This was one of those times.

When Carlisle and Edward had spun out of the driveway, Alice had remained silent after explaining to Archie what she'd seen that had brought her to her knees. A car accident. A really bad one. Archie had flown into a panicked rage, and I'd had no choice but to hold him in my shield to save the house and his sanity. Edward had said Archie couldn't follow, so I kept him bound to me.

The sound of Carlisle's ringtone blaring from Esme's phone made Archie jump and my breath hitch. My breathing wasn't all that great to begin with, but I was pushing through the pain of being separated from Edward to the best of my ability. The ache deep inside of my chest was debilitating, but I had no choice but to rub my sternum and focus on the scared man in my arms. But all eyes were on Esme as Carlisle's voice echoed out of her phone.

"We're on our way, Esme. Be ready. As soon as she's changed, we'll have to move."

At the word "changed," the house became eerily still and quiet. Carlisle had unfortunately had to turn Caroline. They'd had no other alternative, or else they would've tried to heal her first. Which meant things were about to get really crazy. Our lives in Caribou were just about to an end.

"I understand," she said firmly, locking gazes with me. "Be careful. We'll take care of everything."

The call ended, but the silence went on as her hand fell to her side. Adrian wrapped an arm around her shoulders, his eyes only on her face. I could see the wheels turning, the motherly affection that she had for each and every one of us blooming out into the room. But there was a determination in her face, as well. It was a look she must've worn several times before. There were things to do, children to care for, and preparations to be made.

"Changed?" Archie whispered, though his voice barely made a sound. A small sob ripped from him, but he waited for an answer.

"They didn't have a choice," Alice stated gently. "The damage was too extensive. They had to change her before getting in the car. She wouldn't have made it to the boat, like my last vision, so now...she'll change here."

Even though she'd told me to send Edward a text to go ahead, the words were still shocking.

"They?" Rose asked, picking up on the word that I hadn't.

"Caroline's change needed to start quickly and powerfully. Carlisle needed Edward's venom, as well," Alice told her.

"And Mr. Dixon?" I asked, but she was already shaking her head no.

"Edward tried his best to do what he could for the man, but he was...crushed," Alice told me, wincing a little. "He made him comfortable at the end. He died knowing the truth."

"Caroline," Archie whispered, his eyes gazing down at the floor.

Alice knelt in front of him in order to lock eyes. "Her change is taking hold. Edward vowed to bring her back to you, and he'd even made the decision to change her himself if things had gone a different way. You have to be strong, Archie. You won't lose her, but watching her change will be hard. Okay?"

My eyes stung with tears that I couldn't shed. My sweet Edward would've done anything for Archie in order for him to keep his mate. He knew Archie wouldn't survive the loss of her, and he knew that Alice's visions changed rapidly, but the one of Caroline becoming one of us had stayed true. How and where she was changed had continuously altered – here at the house, the boat that Emmett had secured, and obviously, the side of the deserted back road of Maine.

He nodded that he heard her, but Esme stepped forward to cup his face. "Son, look at me," she ordered gently. "We will _not_ abandon you _or_ her. Understand me? This isn't like what you've experienced. She will be taken care of. We'll show _you_ how to take care of her." Her vow was strong and true and not to be second-guessed.

Kevin looked up from the other side of Archie, his normal, ever-present wry smile gone for the moment. "What do you need, Mom?" he asked. "Tell us."

Esme took a deep breath, glancing briefly around the room. "We'll need to get ready to move. We'll have until the end of her change, plus a day, and then we'll have to go ahead with our plan. But first things first... We'll need to prepare for Caroline's arrival." She turned to Rose. "We'll need clothes, blankets, and a place for her..."

"_My room_," Archie growled.

"And we'll probably have to clean her up," Esme added, nodding to Archie that she'd heard his request. "Archie, I need you to stay calm, but I need Bella's help, okay?"

He nodded frantically, but I gave him a kiss to his cheek. "This will be the hard part, buddy. Then you'll have her forever, okay?" He nodded again, and I went on. "She wanted this. It's not against her will. She told me that she wanted a love that would never fade. She's getting that...tenfold."

A small smile twitched the corners of his mouth, but he looked over at me. "Thanks, Bella," he whispered.

I smiled, ruffled his hair, and stood up. "I'll get her some clothes," I told Esme.

The house broke apart in several directions. I heard Rose and Alice talk about softer sheets on Archie's bed, Kevin say he was going to draw some warm water in Archie's tub, and Esme order Adrian to grab the blankets.

Using my immortal speed, I dashed into Edward's and my room, letting our combined scent soothe my aching chest. I dove for the dresser, pulling out warm, comfy pajamas. They were soft and light and wouldn't be so harsh against fiery, sensitive skin. Though, in reality, nothing would ease the burning until she was completely transformed.

By the time I made it back down to the library and into Archie's basement bedroom, the pain in my chest ceased. Completely.

Taking a deep, relieved breath, I said, "They're close," as I rubbed my chest.

"Good," Esme stated, stripping the bedding and changing the sheets.

She barked instructions that Rose and Alice didn't seem to need, and I realized this was how they'd reacted the night that Edward had turned me. I'd been a broken mess, and Edward had fared no better emotionally. Kevin's change had been different. Marcus had taken responsibility for him while Carlisle monitored everything. This was all on us...as a family.

The front doors flew open, and the sound of Caroline's whimpers met my ears, along with barked orders from Jasper, Edward, and Carlisle. All three men and Caroline were soaking wet, sneakers squelching with each step taken, and both Carlisle and Edward were covered in mud at the knees from where they'd knelt during the storm.

Edward was cradling Caroline in his arms, Jasper was pushing as much calm as he could, and Carlisle caught Archie before he could touch his girl.

"Easy, son," Carlisle soothed. "Listen to her heart. It's strong. The venom has worked its way completely through her circulatory system and is now spreading through her tissues. Smell it?"

I smiled, thinking Carlisle was giving Archie something to focus on.

"Edward, sweetheart," Esme called, pointing to the pile of blankets by the tub. "Set her down over there. We need to clean her up, but you boys have to go!"

Edward did as he was told, though he stopped long enough to check Caroline's rapid pulse. Her heart sounded strained, and it was beating as fast as a hummingbird's wings. As he tried not to jostle her too much, he settled her down onto the pallet of blankets that Adrian had made per Esme's instructions.

It was then that I got a good look at the poor girl. She was shattered, it seemed. Her leg was twisted and misshapen. Her hands, hair, and face were covered in blood, and her arm looked to be bending in the wrong direction. There was also a medical tube sticking out of the middle of her chest.

Jesus, no wonder they'd had to turn her.

"Yes," Edward whispered, pressing a bunch of kisses to the side of my head in rapid succession. "Turn away, love," he instructed gently.

Pressing my face into his upper arm, I heard movement and a scream from Caroline, but I focused on the scent of my husband, letting it soak into my lungs. He smelled like rain, mud, the Volvo's leather seats, and...blood.

"Okay, sweet girl," he told me, dropping another kiss to the top of my head.

When I looked back, I saw that he'd removed the tube. Caroline was bowing up off the floor. He soothed her with soft apologies and a touch to her hand.

"Edward, we've got her. We'll let you back in shortly, okay?" Esme said, giving her firstborn's shoulder a squeeze.

"Yes, ma'am," he said softly, turning to me. "You okay?"

I smiled. "I'm a strong, tenacious woman. I survived."

"Don't I know it," he snorted, shooting me my favorite crooked smile. "If it's too much, come up out of here, okay?"

Nodding, I kissed his lips before he stood up. "Go get changed out of those wet clothes, baby," I said aloud. But privately, I thought to him, _You are the most amazing person I've ever met, Edward. This was the most selfless thing you've ever done. And I couldn't love you more right now if I tried..._

Edward's brow furrowed as he shoved his hands into the front pockets of his wet jeans. His head bowed, but he gazed up at me through his long, beautiful eyelashes. His hair was dark and dripping and slicked back, his face expressionless, but I knew him well enough to know that he didn't quite know what to say to that. His eyes met mine, and they were contrite and sweet, the color of warm honey, but they were filled with a heat behind them that he seemed to be struggling to maintain.

"Edward," Esme asked him one more time. "Let us take her from here. I'm sure that Archie needs you."

Edward's heated gaze never left mine as he said, "Yes, ma'am," before turning on his heel to head up to the library.

Following my mother's and sisters' leads, we gently stripped Caroline of her ruined clothing. She'd whimper, but Esme would soothe her with a constant flow of kind words, encouragement, and apologies if we had to jostle her. Her bath water was cool, instead of hot – her skin already on fire – and the bath was given swiftly, yet as gently as possible. Once she was dressed in pink plaid pajamas and a pink cotton T-shirt, we brushed her hair, laying her down in the middle of Archie's bed.

The very second that Esme pulled a quilt up around her, Archie was through the door and down into his room, falling to his knees at the side of the bed. Caroline's cries, her begging for him and death, and her sobs settled slightly at the sound of his voice.

He started a soft mantra of vows to her that seemed too intimate to hear. They were promises that he was right there, that he'd be there when she awoke, and that he knew it hurt.

Ruffling his hair, I whispered in his ear. "She's going to be more beautiful than she already was, Arch. Just keep telling her that you're here. She can hear you."

He nodded, looking past me to see Carlisle, who was now showered and dressed in dry clothes, descending the stairs.

"Bella, would you be so kind as to take these out to the fire Jasper's already started?" he asked, pointing to the blankets and Caroline's ruined clothes.

"Sure," I said, kissing his cheek before doing as I was asked.

I knew that Carlisle wanted time to check on Caroline's progress, as well as a little one-on-one time with Archie. Even through the haze of my own transformation, I remembered Carlisle's constant, soothing tone easing Edward's frantic mind. The scent of those two men combined would always be forever etched in my memory as the perfect combination of love, comfort, and protection. They guarded over me, worried over me for the duration of my change.

I emerged out of the basement with my arms full, but I could see the family kicking into what they did best. They were focused, planning and listening. Emmett had returned not long after the others, but his usual jovial face was all business as he spoke on the phone. He was talking to the manager of the boat dock, telling him to have our boat ready in four days' time.

Everyone else was hard at work, as well. Kevin was securing a storage facility in Bangor, while Adrian spoke to a moving company. Alice was nowhere to be seen, but I could imagine she was buying airline tickets. Our plan was officially underway. We had no alternative but to escape to Isle Esme for Caroline's newborn phase.

Jasper was still outside stoking the fire when I came out. He offered to help me, but I stopped him.

"No, I'm okay, Jazz," I told him. "Go get changed."

His face was solemn when he nodded, but he made no move to leave me just yet.

"Are _you_ okay?" I asked him, tossing Caroline's clothes onto the fire.

His serious gaze met mine. "This is the hardest part...for me," he said, placing a hand over his heart. "It's ingrained in me to worry about the...after part of this..."

I smiled sadly. Edward had told me this before. Jasper's job with Maria was to train newborns. On the rare occasion, there had been people that hadn't taken well to it. Jasper had been the one to destroy them. The fear, the horror, and the pain of the change were just a few of the emotions that Jasper had to feel right along with his subjects. Add in that he cared for Archie, and he was dreading what may come.

Ripping up the soiled blankets, I dropped the strips into the fire. It kept me busy and the flames from being smothered.

"Did you worry about me? And Kevin?" I asked him.

"Absolutely," he gushed, looking at me like I was crazy. "You..." He huffed an incredulous laugh, shaking his head. "I knew you were strong, that you were prepared to an extent, but fuck, I was as nervous as a whore in church."

I giggled, waiting for him to continue.

He smirked a little but went on. "God, I didn't know what I'd do if something had gone wrong with your change. Edward was already a mess. And you were so fucking quiet!" He jerked his thumb when Caroline's cries rang out. "That? That's normal. You...you were not normal. And that drove us all crazy."

"I have to keep you on your toes, J," I teased him, tossing more strips of blanket into the fire.

He snorted. "Yeah, thanks for that." He sighed, looking out over the night-covered backyard. "Kevin was different. He was such a bright spirit prior to his change. I worried that he'd lose that, but he's hardly any different. But you... Fuck, Bella..."

I sent him brotherly love and hugged him with my shield, smirking back at him. "I know, Jasper. I understand. She's pretty strong. Like me. I can't see a problem. What's Alice say?"

"That she's fine. She's seen it all along, you know," he sighed. "I know I should listen, but I can't stop that feeling..."

Jasper gazed over at me, and I felt love and strength coming from him, as well as gratefulness. I could understand why. He respected and loved Edward to the ends of the Earth. Had something happened during my change and Jasper had needed to end me, he would've had to end Edward, too. There had been no question. Edward would've begged him. And _that_ would've hurt Jasper to his very soul.

"Go hunt, Jasper," I heard behind me. The voice was gentle, yet firm and the one I'd been waiting for. "You maintained her all the way here; you're thirsty, brother. Go. Alice is joining you."

Strong arms wrapped around me from behind, kisses pressed to the back of my head, but it was the scent of a freshly showered Edward that relaxed me to my bones. Leaning back into him, I continued my task of burning the blankets.

Jasper looked to Edward, and I could tell they were communicating silently. I felt Edward nod behind me, squeezing me closer and burying his face in my neck.

"I'm aware, Jasper," Edward said smoothly. "We weren't apart for long. We'll be okay."

I nodded silently in agreement at the same time Alice emerged out onto the deck. She slipped her hand into Jasper's, tugging him toward the steps. He gave us one more nod before allowing her to pull him away.

Tossing the last of the soiled fabric onto the fire, I turned in Edward's arms, burying my nose into my favorite spot – the crook of his neck. Inhaling deeply, I felt the last of our separation and the anxiety that came with it start to ebb away.

"I'm sorry about Tim," I mumbled against his sweet-smelling skin.

"Me, too," he sighed, nuzzling my cheek. "I tried, but he was...beyond help."

"Alice said you made him comfortable..."

He snorted humorlessly. "As comfortable as a wounded soldier on a battlefield," he groaned. "He wasn't going to make it, so I just gave him enough morphine to send him off without pain."

I nodded, still buried in his neck. I could tell he wasn't comfortable with the conversation. "I love you...so, so much."

"Love you, too, my sweet girl."

"What do we do now?" I asked, pressing kisses to his throat.

Edward hummed, swallowing thickly, and I smiled when I felt his Adam's apple move against my lips. He pulled me back, cupping my face. "We wait, we prepare, and then we move."

~oOo~

Wrapping my arms around my knees, I fiddled with my iPod without looking at it as I sat on a flat boulder. My eyes gazed unseeingly over at the falling water. Spring had descended upon our secret waterfall and clearing with an explosion of color. The purple flowers were back and were scattered over the ground. Leaves were new and bright green. Even the water was clean, clear, and soothing. Not that I could hear it. My earbuds were shoved in my ears, and music was drowning out everything around me.

It was the second day of Caroline's change, and I'd run from the house like a coward. My shield overreacted when the venom flowing through her system had snapped first her arm and then her leg back into place, but it was her screams that had sent me from the house. She was healing, changing...burning. It was torture to witness.

It didn't help that I'd needed to hunt or that the house was chaos with everyone quickly packing necessities and personal items that needed to go with us. Emmett and Rose had already taken one load of things to be shipped to Brazil and a few things that were to be carried on the boat. Adrian and Kevin had already started to move some things into storage.

According to Alice, we wouldn't need a full year for Caroline's newborn phase, but my shield would be her biggest ally. She also saw no one making any decisions concerning our future place to live for quite some time. Telling Charlie that I was moving overseas again had not been easy, but he'd put my mind at ease by saying that's why he had a passport.

In a little over two days, my family would separate temporarily. Alice and Jasper were flying into Brazil and renting a boat to make sure that Isle Esme was ready. Emmett, Rose, Adrian, and Kevin were staying behind to close up the house, and then they, too, would fly out. However, Caroline would be in no shape to fly, and Alice had seen that, so in order to keep her from people, Carlisle suggested that the rest of us sail down the coast all the way to the island. He'd already plotted several places to stop along the way for her to hunt. But on the water, she'd be away from humans, and she'd have the benefit of being surrounded by Carlisle, Edward, and Esme for guidance, not to mention Archie for moral and loving support. I was there to make sure that she didn't jump ship if the scent of blood came anywhere near her.

And poor Archie. He was a mess. I wasn't sure what he was worried about more – being responsible for his mate from this point on or leaving the only home he'd ever known. He couldn't even answer the question, but he was so focused on Caroline that he could barely look at anyone.

The scent of sunshine, honey, and clean linen wafted around me at the same time my chest lurched. Edward was near.

Tugging my earbuds out, I simply said, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," I heard from down on the ground.

I turned my head to rest the other way on my knees, taking in the beauty that was Edward. He looked worried and freshly fed. His eyes were light and warm. He stood there in dark jeans and a simple black T-shirt, his hands shoved into his front pockets. In one graceful move, he leaped up to the top of our rock, sitting down in front of me.

"It's not easy...listening to someone's change, sweet girl," he stated, shrugging a shoulder. "No one blames you for getting out of there for a bit."

I could only nod at that, letting my eyes drop to the iPod in my hand.

"Did you hunt?" he asked, but then sniffed the air. "Yes."

I smirked, rolling my eyes, and shook my head. "Then why ask?"

He chuckled sweetly. "'Cause I can. And your mind is silent to me."

Opening, my mind to him, I said, "There. Happy?"

Edward sighed and picked up one of my hands, kissing the back of it. "What are you listening to?" he asked, tugging my player from my hand.

"It was loud, angry rock. It's since morphed into...you."

He fought his smile but met my gaze as he set the iPod down next to us. "I want to hold you, but..."

The words were barely out of his mouth before I was scurrying to climb into his lap. Straddling his thighs, I wrapped myself around him like a limpet. Strong, loving, comforting arms wound all the way around me as he sighed deeply. Selfishly, I inhaled deeply into his neck, taking all of him I could take at the moment. However, the better, bigger part of me knew that I should probably give him up so that he could be with Archie.

"Uh uh," he chided against my hair, pulling at me until I met his fierce eyes. "You, my beautiful girl, will always come first. You are _my_ priority. Everything and everyone else comes in a distant second. Understand?"

I nodded, bringing his forehead down to touch mine. "It was too much, Edward," I admitted softly. "My shield shifts every time she screams, but I can't do anything for her."

"And it didn't help that you probably needed to hunt, hmm?"

"Yeah, probably."

"Not to mention we haven't had any time together since we were apart," he added.

"It wasn't for long, baby," I sighed, knowing he was right and wondering what color Marcus would see if he were here.

"Doesn't matter, love," he countered with a small smile.

"Edward," I snorted, shaking my head, "you're about to be stuck on a boat with me for a long time. I'm sure we'll be a bright green by the time we made it to the island."

He grinned, and it was sexy and sarcastic all at the same time. "Good thing you can't drown me, then."

Giggling, I nuzzled his nose with my own. "Good thing that goes both ways..."

Edward laughed, his sweet breath pushing out over my face. He brushed a soft kiss across my lips. "We'll stay out here as long as you need, Bella. I have no problem with that," he vowed solemnly.

"'Kay," I sighed, hugging him again and burrowing back into my favorite spot.

Finally surrounded by the only thing that could relax me, I let my mind wander. I worried for Archie as the end of Caroline's change drew near. I wondered what our lives would be like in the future. Would we all stay together? Would we split up? Would Archie and Caroline want to follow us? And if they followed us, how would we hide what we were? There were so many of us now that we'd almost need to start our own town.

Edward snorted into a chuckle. "What would we name it, Bella?"

"Vampville," I said with a laugh. "It'll be like _Salem's__ Lot_...you know, the Stephen King book? All vamp, all the time..."

"Uhh, no," he said with a grin and a shake of his head. "That was all sorts of disturbing. That guy looked like Bat Boy in the movie."

"Oh yeah! He did!" My face popped up from his neck. I couldn't help but laugh at my hundred-and-fifteen-year-old mate's silly-sweet face.

Edward smiled, dropping a heavy kiss to my forehead. "So much going on in here, baby. Relax, we'll figure it out. I promise."

I felt just a touch guilty about stealing my husband away when he was probably needed by everyone else. Archie had been relying on him to read Caroline's mind, which in itself was harsh and filled with pain. Carlisle had asked Edward to monitor the progress of the car accident, as well, which had been deemed an accident by the local authorities. The car had exploded and burned down to almost nothing. The explosion covered up the fact that Caroline's body had not been found, but her possessions were scattered everywhere. Caroline Dixon no longer existed on paper. She was declared dead, right along with her father.

Which brought me to Caroline herself. Edward felt the need to keep an eye on her, but I was convinced the hardest part would be when she finally woke up. It had nothing to do with her newborn senses, but she would truly feel the impact of her father's death once she was conscious. And it would be ten times worse as an immortal. She'd feel it all – grief, anger, shock.

Edward cupped my face, his expression suddenly nervous. He tucked my hair behind my ears and then held my hands, his long fingers turning my wedding band over and over and over.

"Edward, what's wrong?" I asked him, stopping the motion of his fingers.

"I worry... I mean, you haven't thought about it, so I don't know," he started to ramble adorably. His eyes met mine. "Does it bother you? That I helped with her change, I mean. I never thought that I'd... I mean, it wasn't..."

My eyebrows shot up, but I smiled softly, deciding to tease him a bit. "I'm pretty sure you didn't bite her where you'd previously left a hickey..."

"What?! No!" he growled, shaking his head profusely, and his eyes and fingers betrayed him, immediately reaching up to trace his scar over my heart. And even through the cotton fabric of my shirt, it tingled under his touch. His heated gaze shot up to mine. "It wasn't like that, Bella..."

"I know, baby," I sighed, kissing his lips once. "Carlisle needed your help. I'm just glad it was the two of you. I'm so proud of your control, sweetheart."

"It was mostly Carlisle," Edward sighed in relief, but his sweet smile at my pride in him curled the corner of his mouth.

"I know. I can smell it in her veins."

"We'd almost waited too long, but I think Carlisle wanted to exhaust every other option first," he explained. "He was so focused on fixing her, but there were circumstances beyond our control."

"And it didn't help that Tim's decision to take that back road was the key to seeing it all for Alice," I soothed him, running my fingers through his hair. "She explained it to us when you left."

"What did she say?"

"She said that it made sense to her now. That like Carlisle likes to call it...there was a butterfly effect to Caroline's fate. Everything was last-second decisions. The stranger that decided to drive his car, despite the fact that it was running poorly, changed the flow of traffic on the main highway, which caused people to slow down and stare. That, in turn, caused cars to back up, which, given Tim Dixon's tired state of mind and frustration level, made him decide to take back roads. All of it added up. None of it could have been foreseen, and all of it could've ended differently. The only thing that was certain was Caroline's change. Had she made it to Ohio, Alice has no clue how she would've ended up immortal anyway... Our guess is that she would've tried to come back to Archie and something happened, but it's all moot now. What happened, happened."

Edward snorted, rolling his eyes. "Well, that makes sense. Alice has been cursing the flippant behavior of humans all damn morning."

Smiling, I shrugged. "Sometimes, you can't stop any of it."

"So...it doesn't bother you? I never thought my venom would be in someone else," he murmured, his brow furrowing as he started turning my ring again. He stopped himself, bringing my wrist up to his lips and kissing James's old scar. "It wasn't about control or...siring another, love. No blood is ever going to taste as sweet as yours did," he whispered against my skin.

I shook my head. He was being modest to a fault. "No, it doesn't bother me, Edward. If it was some random woman, if it had been a more intimate situation...then, absolutely. But I know you, baby. You were helping your father, saving Archie the most unbelievable heartache, and you were merely trying to do a good thing." I leaned in to inhale the scent of him, whispering, "Besides, I don't smell enough of your venom in her to notice."

"Random woman," he growled, glaring at me. "Never happen."

"You're so cute all indignant. Shut up, Edward, and quit worrying. I'm proud of you, and that was an amazing thing you did," I said with a giggle. He didn't look quite convinced, so knowing his history, I asked, "Did you help with Esme?"

"No. I was there, but...no."

"Rose?"

He shook his head. "No, Carlisle found her when I was out hunting."

"How about Emmett?"

"Yes, but it was merely to seal wounds," he whispered with a nod.

"Should I be jealous of Emmett?" I asked with a grin.

"Hell, no!" He finally chuckled, his face pained at the thought.

"So really, I'm the only one that's all yours?" I asked, knowing that he hadn't let Carlisle anywhere near me except to check on me back then. His possessiveness had been in overdrive with his stress after Victoria – almost to the point of being feral.

There it was. A slow, sexy, crooked grin curled up his perfect mouth as his eyes darkened slightly. "All _mine_," he purred low and raspy.

I was just about to kiss him absolutely senseless when his phone alerted.

"Shit, dammit, fuck," I growled, glaring over his shoulder at our waterfall. "I know I shouldn't complain, but..."

Edward cracked up at my string of curses, but he cupped my face. "Look at me, my filthy-mouthed girl," he ordered gently, but there was teasing in his tone.

"I know, I know... They need you. I get it," I conceded with a smile. I wasn't really upset, but I was dreading my shield when I got back inside the house. And it never helped that I always lost myself in the tiny bubble that seemed to envelope us when we were alone.

"You needed me more," he countered firmly, raising a sexy eyebrow up at me. "That makes everything else insignificant for the moment. You're allowed to be selfish, Bella. You so rarely are. And this is...nerve-wracking. Emergencies, Caroline's change, Archie's reaction, the impending move, and your need to hunt... It was bound to overwhelm you. Hell, it's overwhelming most of us. Never, ever apologize to me for making sure your needs are met, even if those needs are simply a hug from me. Do you understand?"

I nodded, feeling slightly reprimanded, but I knew he meant every last word he said.

"Oh, hell... Sweet girl, it's not a reprimand," he sighed forlornly. "I... You... This," he finally said, gesturing between us. "This is all I need. Us. It's all I know to take care of you, okay? Selfish or not, I'm always at your disposal."

I nodded, stood up, and took the iPod when he handed it to me.

Once he was standing in front of me, he cupped my face one more time, pressing his forehead to mine. "I promise to give you every bit of time you need. When we're finally in Brazil, we'll get away, okay?"

I nodded, wondering if I could last that long.

He grinned. "Truly, it will be a test in self-control," he teased.

Groaning, my head thumped to his chest, and it shook as he laughed again. I couldn't imagine what the weeks on the water would bring. There would be six of us – one needing complete and total supervision at all times – sailing down the U.S. coastline, along the Caribbean, down to South America.

Warm lips ghosted to my ear. "Lots of water, Isabella. And we..._don't need to breathe._"

My giggle burst out of me. "Fair enough, Jacques Cousteau."

Edward's grin was salacious and wicked as he leaned down to kiss me.

His phone alerted again, and I sighed, looking up at him. "Come on, Edward. They really must need you."

He nodded, looking over our secret little place. When he focused back onto me, he smiled. "You're okay?"

"Yes, but you'd know if I wasn't."

"I know, but I like to hear it."

Taking a deep breath, I nodded. "I'm okay. I hunted, I got away from the house when it was too much, and I got to cuddle with you. A girl couldn't get any better."

"Good," he grunted, scooping me up onto his back as he ran us both back to the house.

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

"If we continue on at this pace for another hour, we should be able to drop anchor just off the coast of North Carolina," Carlisle mused, mainly to himself, but I should've been listening. "We can swim to shore to allow Caroline another hunt. I want to keep her as sated as possible. Stopping in the Bahamas will prove...touchy."

At the sound of her name, my eyes and mind scanned the bow of the boat, finding the girl in question. She sat eerily still as she gazed off toward the west as the sun sank low on the horizon. The orange sun glimmered off her blonde locks and caused a sheen of diamond-like sparkles to glow around her. For the moment, she was calm, but it helped that she was flanked by Bella and Esme, who were chatting aimlessly about anything and nothing.

Caroline had woken up from her change almost three days prior. She'd been frantic, confused, and thirsty, but she'd remembered everything that had happened prior to and during the car wreck. Her first glimpse of Archie had settled her heart and mind, but her emotions had been in turmoil. They still were, actually. We'd all taken her hunting, not because we'd wanted to see her but because the Varner house was still fairly close enough to humans that it required all of us to create a barrier around her, just in case. She'd done fine. She'd been almost feral, but fine nonetheless.

Once she had a moment's peace after hunting, she was able to speak with Carlisle, Archie, and me about the accident. She'd begged her dad to let her drive because she knew that he'd been too damn tired, but he'd declined. She'd also told him that taking the back roads looked creepy, but again, he hadn't listened. She'd flown into a rage at that point, only to be calmed by Jasper. She was extremely angry with her father, but Carlisle had explained to us that it was perfectly normal to feel that way. Tim Dixon had been a stubborn, controlling man, and it had been his undoing.

There had been a brief moment of ire aimed at my entire family. Caroline wanted to know why we hadn't been quicker, why we hadn't stopped them before the wreck, but Alice had told her every vision that she'd seen. There had been no way of knowing the whens and wheres. Tim had made quick decisions based on traffic, and we'd left as soon as we could.

Then there were her reactions to Archie. I fought my smile as I remembered the lust, the possessive growls between them. Their thoughts had been filled with curiosity, want, and need, and poor Jasper could barely stand up around them. He had been grateful when he and Alice had left to catch their flight to Brazil.

All in all, she was a typical newborn. She wasn't as foul and feral as Rosalie had been, but she wasn't as calm and controlled as Bella and Kevin had been. She was somewhere in the middle, and that was just fine with everyone. She lived for encouragement, she listened to instruction and guidance, and she had started to lean on Esme.

"Is she okay?" Archie asked tentatively.

Looking up to see his stare, I nodded. "Yeah, she's fine. She's calm, and the sound of the girls' voices are soothing to her. She's thirsty, though. Or she's getting there, anyway."

Archie had taken to his role as mate and protector with a flare and aptitude I hadn't been expecting. He relied on all of us to read Caroline, to help them both, but he hovered over her like a mother hen. Just when I thought he'd annoy her, she'd accept his fussing over her with a sweet smile. He also didn't shy away from having to take charge with her when her temper shot out of control. It had given Archie something to focus on rather than the dread of leaving the only home he'd ever known.

Archie nodded in acceptance of that. His thoughts had been close to assuming she would need to hunt soon, anyway. It was a multiple times a day thing for her. It kept her focused and calm. All six of us would go because we were all needed. Carlisle and Esme were there to observe and guide, I was there to make sure her thoughts were on the task at hand, not the small towns that were nearby. Archie would use his invisibility to help corral prey for her.

And Bella... My Bella helped shield small areas to allow her to run, explain feelings and instincts, and block out human scents. Her patience never wavered. She remembered everything from her own first few days, but it was a beautiful thing to watch Bella teach Caroline how to control her strength with something as simple as getting dressed, calm herself down when things started overwhelm her, and recognize when her thirst was reaching a breaking point. The latter would eventually settle down, but since Caroline was only days into this life, she was thirsty almost every other hour.

My eyes slid to my wife, and I wanted to groan at the sight of her. She was stunning in the setting sun, but it didn't help that she was wearing the most deadly of swimsuits. It was blue and small and showed off my mark on her, which caused a tidal wave of possessiveness to wash over me. There were skin, curves, a cascade of chocolate brown hair, and more skin. A dull rainbow shone around her, mixing with Esme's and Caroline's. All I could see was joy in her laugh and smile, because my Bella took every move with a grain of salt. She didn't care where we were, what we were doing, or who we were with...as long as we were together. That was all that mattered to my sweet girl.

My hand gripped my hair in want of her because we'd yet to have time alone. Everything had moved so quickly once Caroline had opened her newborn eyes that we'd only been able to focus on her. Caroline's thirst, temper, the packing of our belongings, the loading up the boat, and the casting off had been priorities. I was slowly surpassing want and working my way into need. Soon, it would be more about mating and less about making love to my wife. And I didn't want that. I wanted to worship her like she deserved, not stalk her like an animal, but damn, it was torture just to look at her.

"Edward?" Carlisle asked, his amusement abundantly clear in his mind.

"Huh?"

He snorted, glancing between my face and the bow, but his thoughts were focused on coordinates, not my inability to keep a singular thought in my head.

"I asked if you were okay with dropping anchor just off the Carolinas," he said, speaking as if I were a child.

"Yeah, that's fine," I sighed, nodding and rolling up the maps. I turned to Archie. "You'd better prepare her for another hunt. Where we're stopping shouldn't have too many humans, but you never know."

Archie nodded and left us to make his way out onto the bow. His struggle to maintain his gentlemanly values versus claiming his mate was starting to take a toll on my mind, especially during the hunt. He wanted so badly to respect her – and he did, immensely so – and wait until she was calmer, but his instinct to claim what was his was warring inside of him. Archie wasn't used to giving into what was natural, though. It was the only thing that was keeping him from reaching out and touching, from tossing her over his shoulder like a caveman.

What he didn't realize was that Caroline was feeling exactly the same. Bella told me to leave it alone, to let them work it out between them. There was only so much a mind reader should interfere, she'd told me. This was personal between Caroline and Archie.

_Son,_ Carlisle called to me silently. When I looked over at him, his face was serious. _I know that we have to maintain Caroline's diet, but have you realized that by tomorrow, we'll be even with Florida?_

I groaned, looking over at my girl. "The thought hasn't even crossed her mind, Carlisle. I don't know..." I hedged, shaking my head. "I just don't think..."

He nodded, having thought as much. I knew what he wanted for Bella, but I wasn't so sure it was a good idea. He knew – thanks to Jasper – exactly where Renee and Phil's townhouse was on the beaches of Jacksonville. I knew that he simply wanted her to be able to see her mother without having to go through Charlie, but again, this was a touchy subject for Bella. She missed her mother terribly, and I wasn't so sure she'd be able to keep her distance once she caught sight of her.

_Just a thought, son._

"I know. And I'm not stupid enough to make the decision _for_ her, but still..."

Carlisle chuckled. "Uh, no. Definitely not. Not if you value your..." His eyes drifted down my torso and back up to my face. "Your...sanity."

I laughed. "Nice, Dad."

He grinned, looking shameless and years younger than he normally did. The sea mist, his swim trunks, and his windblown hair gave him a carefree look about him. He was enjoying being on the boat.

I almost snorted at the word "boat." I'd seen what Emmett had purchased through his thoughts, but Bella's and Caroline's reactions had been priceless. Caroline had stared with wide, red eyes, her mouth hanging open. My girl had snorted into hysterics, rolling her eyes and shaking her head, saying that it wasn't a "damn _boat;_ it was a _yacht_." She'd sounded much the same as she had when she'd first caught sight of Cullen Manor in London.

Technically, she was right, considering it was a motor yacht on paper. It was large, white, and spacious, with tinted windows and a strong engine, and Emmett had thought he'd been funny by naming it _The Infinity_. Jasper started calling Carlisle Buzz Lightyear, which resulted in just about all of us screaming, "To _infinity_ and beyond!" just before we'd left Caribou permanently.

"But I'm right," he said with surety and a grin.

"No, you're right."

He continued to steer the boat for the next forty-five minutes, finally killing the engine and dropping anchor. The silence that settled over was was almost deafening. We were far out enough from land that no noise from civilization met our ears, though North Carolina could just barely be seen from where we were...and that was with immortal eyes.

Dusk had fallen by the time the two of us joined everyone else on deck. We were encapsulated in a dome of dusty blues and fading oranges, the calm sea rocking us gently with dark waves. The girls had pulled on shorts over their bathing suits, opting to wear their bikini tops. It didn't help my situation. At all. My girl looked like the essence of temptation, sin, and innocence all rolled into a smiling, giggling girl as she and Esme told stories about our family to Caroline.

I leaned against the railing, afraid to touch her, because if I did, I wouldn't be able to stop.

"Bella, I think you and Edward should stay aboard," Carlisle started, and my head snapped up from the waves to his face. "We're close enough to shore that it's possible someone will approach, so I'd rather someone be on the boat."

"Okay," Bella answered softly, her brow furrowing as she dragged the word out. And I wanted to chuckle when her thoughts were suddenly cut off from my mind.

Carlisle locked gazes with me, fighting a smirk, but his eyes were solemn. _You think I don't know, Edward? You think I don't realize that you haven't had a chance to reconnect since before the accident? You're my _son_. You're every bit my responsibility as the newest members of this family. That'll never change, no matter how long you've been with me. You could've said something. _

I nodded, unable to meet his gaze as I muttered, "Yes, sir."

I'd never given much thought as to how Carlisle worried about Bella's and my connection, but right at that moment, I saw his fear. My girl saw it more than I did, had even said as much, but as far as our father was concerned, no separations could go without time to reconnect, even small ones. He was terrified of a slip-up, of something happening that was not fixable. Nothing could happen to Bella or me. He was damned certain he couldn't handle it. It would shatter the entire family.

Esme ruffled my hair, kissing my cheek, but Caroline stopped us short.

"Wait! Bella's not going?" she asked in a panic. "What if I screw up?"

Her deep burgundy eyes swept over the lot of us, and I saw when Bella almost gave in, but Esme placed a hand on Caroline's shoulder.

"We won't let you, sweetie," Esme stated firmly, yet gently, and Caroline nodded in acquiescence.

"C'mon!" Carlisle scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Fifty bucks says I beat you all to shore!"

Bella giggled, shaking her head. "My money's on Esme!" she proclaimed.

Grinning, I stepped to the railing again. "On three, ready? One...two...three!"

Four splashes echoed up out of the water as they took off into the night, aiming toward the lights on land. Before I could see her coming, I was knocked off the side of the boat and into the water. My instinct was to growl, but my arms immediately wrapped around my Bella. She clung to me, and the second I surfaced, her mouth was on mine.

Her thoughts hit me like a freight train – want, need, desire. It was detailed and lustful. It was everything I wanted and then some. The rumbling growl that erupted from me couldn't be stopped. Tongues swirled, even in the open as I turned my head to claim her mouth. Teeth nipped at lips, hands gripped skin and threaded into hair, and Bella's hips rolled wantonly over mine. Somewhere along the way, Bella had rid herself of her shorts and now was teasing me senseless in that bikini of hers.

Her mind wandered to our conversation about never needing air, but I broke from her mouth, trailing kisses down her cheek to her ear.

"No, we don't need to breathe, but I really, really want to take advantage of having that bow empty, my sweet girl," I growled against her skin, dragging my teeth across the spot that was always so damn sensitive. "Soon. Like now. Like five fucking seconds ago, Bella..."

Pitch black eyes locked onto mine as she dragged her tongue along her bottom lip before biting down on it. My hands cupped her sweet ass, my fingers slipping underneath her swimsuit bottoms. With a giggle, she was gone, swimming toward the ladder at the stern. I laughed, following her instantly and knowing we'd never make to the bow. I was going to take her on the cushioned benches right there.

I stepped up onto the deck, grinning at my girl, who was staring at me unabashedly. Her eyes raked over my chest, arms, and the board shorts that were riding low on my hips. But even more, her eyes drank in the sight of my erection.

"Don't tease me, Bella. I can't... I can't fucking take it," I warned her when she licked her lips like I was her next meal.

"I'm sorry," she gushed instantly, looking contrite and suddenly going from temptress to shy. _Too long_, was the only thought she had.

It was then that I understood what Carlisle had been witnessing. Bella and I wouldn't have lasted much longer. Walking to her, I simply scooped her up and wrapped her legs around my waist, only to fall down onto the closest bench.

"Don't you apologize, baby," I whispered, wiping the water from her face. "Ever. Not for that. It _has_ been entirely too long since I was inside you."

"Shit, Edward," she panted, her fingers weaving into my wet hair as she loomed over me. "If you're gonna talk like that, this will be fast and furious."

I felt one side of my mouth lift cockily. "'Kay."

She huffed a laugh at me, but her smile fell quickly. "Yeah, I'm okay with that," she grunted before crashing back into me.

It was frenzied. All of it. I tugged too hard on the ties of her swimsuit, which shredded the top, and she gripped my hair too hard, causing me to grunt. The water made my trunks and her bottoms to stick to skin, so they, too, were thoughtlessly removed without control. Hands gripped, preparing, teasing, testing. Mouths latched to skin, teeth scraped earlobes, collarbones, and throats, and I couldn't take it anymore. The smell of her arousal overshadowed even the scent of the ocean water. It coated my fingers, drew me to her, and made my dick twitch in want of it.

With one swift move, I dropped her onto her back, looming over her.

"Edward," she grunted frustratedly because she'd been damn close with just my fingers.

"Shh, baby," I soothed her, slipping languidly inside of her until I was as deep as I could go. "Fuck," I hissed, my forehead falling to hers as I squeezed my eyes closed. "I promise you, Bella. You _will _come. Hard."

Bella's eyes rolled into the back of her head, and her mouth gaped open just a little as she tried to catch a breath she didn't truly need. Fingers dug into my back as she shook beneath me, but her mind begged me to move, to touch, to just...fucking _kiss_ her, dammit.

I didn't realize just how close she'd been, because the very second I pulled out and thrust back in, my girl came hard, her gasps ghosting into my mouth. I drank them in like I needed them to live.

"Needy, were we?" I taunted, suckling her bottom lip.

"God, yes! I thought... I was...going crazy!"

I nodded against her forehead. "Me, too, love."

I did my damnedest not to just pound into her. I wanted to take my time, but my heart, my body, the sizzling electricity surrounding us just wouldn't let me. And neither would Bella.

"Harder, Edward...let go," she urged in my ear as her fingers dug into the cheeks of my ass.

Bracing a foot on the deck of the boat, I lifted her leg into the crook of my arm and thrust hard.

"Fuck, like that!"

"Yes, ma'am," I purred, making sure to hit the sweet spot deep inside of her, but in all reality, I was about to lose it. Burying my face into her neck, I urged her to come again. "Please, baby... Show me how much you've missed my cock being inside of you. Tell me that sweet pussy was lonely without me..."

"Yes, yes...just...yes!"

"Next time...I'll kiss it, make it up to you. I promise, Bella. Would you like that, sweet girl?"

Her answer was my name strung along with a plethora of curse words and an orgasm that triggered my own. I'd known we wouldn't last long, but we had time before everyone got back to the boat. Without even bothering to remove myself from inside of her, I started again – slow, easy...gentle.

The moon was high in the night sky by the time we could even speak. We were redressed in new swimwear, lounging on the cushioned benches. Bella's back was to my chest as she drew nonsensical designs on my thigh while we waited on the return of the others.

"So...what are you afraid to ask me, Edward?" she asked softly, turning in my arms and propping herself up on my chest.

I took a deep breath, tucking her hair behind her ear. Her eyes were a deep brown, open and sweet. "We'll be by Florida tomorrow about this time, my love. And...Carlisle thought maybe... But I wasn't sure..."

I huffed frustratedly through my nose, simply because I didn't want to cause her any pain or stress, but it wasn't fair to not let her make this call.

She smiled sadly. "You know where her house is, don't you?"

I nodded, grimacing a little. "If the answer's no...then it's no. I'll...we'll understand, baby. We just thought you might want to see her...your mom. You know, from a distance."

Her brow furrowed, and she swallowed thickly before sitting up.

I wrapped my arms around her, pressing kisses to the side of her head before whispering, "We'll do whatever you want. Keep going, stop, ignore it...whatever. We won't even tell you which one...if you don't want us to."

She leaned into me, smiling a little. "I don't have an answer, Edward. Not right this second."

I studied her face and her mind, nodding once. "Fair enough."

She turned her head to face me, another sweet smile curling the corners of her mouth. "You... You're very sweet," she simply said, giggling a little and shaking her head. "Thank you."

"For what?"

She laughed fully, cupping my face. "For being you, Edward. That's it. That's all."

Sometimes, she made me feel like a superhero, like I could do no wrong. This was one of those times.

I shrugged a shoulder. "I love you. I'd give you the world, Bella. I'd give you your mother back if I could, but..."

"No," she said firmly, yet quietly as she shook her head. "She wouldn't handle it like Charlie. She'd never keep the secret. I know her. She's like a child that way."

My nose wrinkled, but I let it go. Bella knew her mother better than I did, though I'd seen the woman's mind at our wedding. Renee was easily swayed and distracted; her thoughts, even while open-minded and almost childlike, were scattered. However, it was the one thing I couldn't give my girl, and that bothered me a little.

"Hey," she whispered, making me look at her. "I have no regrets, baby. None. You need to remember that. I'll tell you every day, but it's the truth."

"I know," I sighed contentedly. "I know, Bella. I do. I just..." I stopped, brushing a kiss across her lips, and said, "Think about it, love. No pressure. Just tell us when the time comes, all right?"

We heard splashes and laughter in the distance, and I snorted at Carlisle's mind. Apparently, Archie had won the race to shore when they left, and my father was hoping for payback.

"You lost fifty bucks, baby," I chortled, rolling my eyes. "Archie won."

She grinned. "Good for him!"

I grasped either side of her face. "Come on," I said, kissing her roughly. "We'll be ready to pull up anchor by the time they get here."

"Okay," she sang, smiling like sunshine and all things good and perfect. She got up offering me a hand. "Hey, Edward?"

"Hmm?" I hummed against her forehead once I was standing.

"What color do you think we are?" she asked with a giggle, thinking of Marcus's talent and how he saw our connection.

Laughing, I popped her on her bottom. "Green, baby. Green."

I watched her congratulate Esme on winning the race back as I pulled up anchor. The rumble of the engine broke the silence that I'd grown used to. As Caroline chatted animatedly about her hunt, that she'd never smelled the first human and that she'd tackled poor Archie twice, I chuckled. There had been concerns about this trip south, but so far, things had been fine. I hoped they continued to stay that way, but we had a long way to go.

* * *

**A/N... So Caroline is a typical newborn, and not all parts of her change went smoothly. Carlisle knew that his oldest son was struggling. And the boat trip is well underway.**

**Before you ask, I will be following a bit of their travels, though not every second. The next chapter is finished, beta'd, and sent off to my pre-readers.**

**No songs added to the playlist this time around.**

**I know that the big question at this point is when will this fic be complete... I'm not sure, but I am under the assumption that the answer is "SOON." I stopped trying to force this fic into a certain number of chapters. It's flowed much better since I came to that decision. But it is coming to an end, and if I had to take a guess...possibly two to three more chaps. Okay? Does that help?**

**I also know that the big question is what am I writing next... Hmm... Not sure. You'll have to wait and see. ;) I have a few ideas running around, but as far as what I approach next is still up in the air. However, I will be taking a bit of time not writing. Don't panic. I'm not quitting. I always need time after finishing a fic to slow down.**

**Okay, so I'll see you Wednesday. :) Until then... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N... Just to clarify a thing or two... I didn't go into detail about the setting up of Tim's car accident on purpose. I didn't see a need. I took fictional liberties, considering that it was Emmett that was left behind to stage the whole thing. I have faith in him that he did a decent job making sure that things looked like they should before the authorities were called. When you can hunt animals, you can truly make things look like wildlife had a hand in things, especially when the deer's carcass was still around, hmm? I have faith in their big brother, so no need to worry about CSI coming into play. ;)**

**Oh, my betting firefighters are at it again... You should have an answer to one of those here in this chapter. LOL**

**This is an interesting chapter. A bit of everything, really. So I'll let you get to it, and I'll see you at the bottom...**

* * *

Chapter 38

**BELLA**

"I don't know, Carlisle," Edward grunted frustratedly. "She hasn't made the decision yet... I refuse to push her!"

I turned the volume up on my iPod, drowning out the two of them. Carlisle was trying to explain that the Jacksonville coast was coming up, but Edward would defend me to the end of the world and back. I loved them both madly, but I just didn't know what I wanted to do.

The thought of seeing my mother – even from a distance – sounded amazing and way too tempting to pass up, considering we were already this close.

On the one hand, I missed Renee like crazy. I missed her never-ending chatter, her fantastical ideas, and her hobby of the moment. Because no matter how whimsical my mother was, no matter what was going on in our lives when I was growing up, I knew that my mother loved me. It was simple and free and easy. It was also hard to keep her in line, focused, and driven, but that was just how our relationship had worked. So to see her, to make sure she was okay and happy was calling to me at the moment more than the scent of blood ever had.

On the other hand, I wasn't so sure if I could just...look. I missed the feel of her hugs, because no one hugged like a mom. Ever. And I missed her smell – all flowers and sugar, the smell of my childhood. I missed the sound of her laughter and the brightness of her smile. I missed her begging for details about my personal life, Edward, and even pushy questions about sex and love.

There were a billion things I wanted to tell her, things that only my mom would understand. And I wasn't so sure I wouldn't swim to shore just to blurt them all out. I wanted to tell her how beautiful and perfect my marriage was, even if it wasn't. I wanted to tell her that the forever kind of love did exist and that it felt amazing. I wanted to tell her I missed her every day. I wanted to tell her that Esme and Carlisle took awesome care of me, that Edward couldn't seem to get his dirty clothes in the laundry basket and that he cheated on board games, but that it didn't matter because his smile and his kisses made everything he did forgivable. I wanted to tell her that I was sorry that I'd lied, that I wasn't dead, and it wasn't a matter of picking Charlie over her. It was just...the way it had to be.

One song faded out, and I was so wrapped up in my own mind that I couldn't have said the name, but in the beat of space between that song and the next, I heard Esme's voice.

"Both of you...hush!" she huffed. "I've got this one..."

I wanted to smile at Carlisle's and Edward's grumbles, but I didn't get the chance. The boat slowed down, the engine shut off, and I heard the anchor drop. Looking out the little window of the bedroom that had been deemed Edward's and mine, I saw that night had fallen. I tugged my earbuds out when the bedroom's door cracked open slowly.

"We're here," I surmised softly.

"Yes, sweet one," Esme whispered, sitting on the edge of the bed next to me. She didn't say anything at first but simply reached up to caress my face with the backs of her fingers. Tilting my chin her way, she smiled warmly. "Before I talk, I want you to know that no matter what you decide, no one will judge you on it."

I nodded, swallowed thickly past the lump that formed in my throat, and gazed out into the night sky.

She shifted on the bed, wrapping an arm around me and bringing my head to her shoulder. Dropping a soft kiss to the top of my head, she sighed deeply. "As much as I love you, you are not mine, Bella. And as much as you try to be strong – most likely for Edward's sake – I know you miss your mother." I nodded, but she went on. "My kids think they're stealthy and slick, but they're not. I know what goes on in my house, whether they tell me or not. And some of my children kept watchful eyes on the humans they left behind."

My head shot up because Emmett had confessed that very thing to me once.

Esme chuckled softly. "Hmm, it seems you knew this..." She squeezed my shoulder. "Yes, I'm aware that Emmett watched over his little sister. And you know Rosalie's story, where she exacted revenge on Royce, but she, too, watched over her parents. She even attended their funerals after they passed. In secret, of course. Edward went with her to her mother's, and she took Emmett to her father's."

I frowned, wondering if I'd be strong enough to do that when the time came.

"I'm fairly certain that if things had been different, then Edward would have watched over the Masens. Alice and Jasper didn't really get a choice."

"What about you?" I asked, looking up at her.

"I couldn't have," she stated with a sad sigh. "If my son had lived and I'd been changed in a different circumstance, I couldn't have watched him grow, age, marry, and have children of his own. Not without wanting to love on him. I push all of that on every one of you. I know that I wouldn't have been able to resist seeing him, hugging him. But he was my child. I could have looked in on my parents, but I chose not to. My relationship with them wasn't the loving one you had with yours."

Nodding, I laid my head back on her shoulder. "That's how I feel..."

"I'm sure. And you haven't really seen your mother since the day you and Edward got married. It was the last time you spent any time with her," she told me, rubbing my upper arm gently. She took another deep breath and shifted again so she was cupping my face. "What you have to ask yourself is this... Will you regret passing this moment up? Time moves so fast in this life. Human lives change in an instant, as Caroline can attest to, and you may never have the opportunity to see for yourself how your mother is faring. I know Charlie, and he's keeping an excellent eye on her, but he doesn't know her like you do. You would know. You would be able to see. And I think, because I know how happy _you_ are, that it would ease your mind if your mom was moving on, making a go of things. You never really got to say goodbye to her. This might be a way of doing that."

"Do you regret it? Not seeing your family, I mean," I queried, really needing her to be honest.

"Sometimes. Though, Carlisle kept a watchful look over them. Edward, too."

I nodded. That sounded like the two of them. And I knew they had the biggest of hearts, the best of intentions with offering me this opportunity. I also knew they'd nod, kiss me, and pull away if I said the word.

Locking gazes with the woman that had become my mother for all intents and purposes, I asked, "If the situation was reversed, would you have wanted him to check on you?"

She smiled, leaning in to kiss my forehead. "Who's to say he doesn't? My family is all gone now, so who's to say they don't check on me?"

My eyes shot to the door, where I could hear Edward pacing like a caged lion in the hallway. The fact that I was even just a little conflicted had his nerves on edge. He hated anything that upset me. He hated even more that I'd had to sacrifice any part of my life for him, even though I'd told him a million times that without him, I had no life.

Gazing back to Esme, I nodded, scooted off the bed, and cracked open the door. Tall, dark, handsome, and nervous was in front of me in the blink of an eye. He was in navy blue and white board shorts and a simple white T-shirt, looking like he'd stepped out of a catalog.

"You'll hold my hand?" I asked him softly.

"You sure you want to do this?" he countered. When I nodded, he linked my fingers with his. "I'll do better than that. Come, love."

He guided me through the cabin and up the stairs. When we emerged on deck, I could see Archie and Caroline respectfully trying to stay to themselves. We'd already stopped for her to hunt, so she was calm and still. Her deep red eyes met mine, and she offered me a small smile.

Edward stopped us on the starboard side of the boat, where Carlisle was waiting for us. Sitting down on the cushioned bench and scooting back far enough that I could sit between his legs, my husband patted the bench. Once I was seated, a strong arm wrapped around my middle, but I refused to look out over toward land just yet. Instead, I looked to Carlisle, who was kneeling down in front of me.

"I dropped anchor just far enough away to give you a chance to say no, Bella," he said soothingly, patting my leg. "It's also far enough away that you'll need these, even with our enhanced sight." He handed me a large pair of binoculars.

I stared at the complicated piece of equipment, a part of my mind focusing on how my family never went the cheap route. Everything had to be the best, the most expensive. It was a love for modern technology more than the price tag.

Edward's voice was soft in my ear. "Ready, sweet girl?"

Looking a bit over my shoulder, I asked, "Have you looked already?"

"Yes."

"Can you hear her mind from here?"

"Yes."

"How—"

He kissed my cheek, giving me a small smile. "If you change your mind and we leave, then I'll tell you how she is. Otherwise, you can see for yourself, my love."

"Okay," I said, barely making a sound.

"Do me one favor, baby," he commanded. When I looked over my shoulder again, he said, "Open that mind to me."

Nodding, I lifted my shield and raised the binoculars to my eyes. The shore was lit here and there with several outdoor lights, porch lamps, and one rather large fire pit. There were three homes clustered together – a white one, a blue one, and a salmon pink one. Gathered around the fire pit was a group of several people sitting on chairs and blankets, including a few rambunctious children playing in the sand. The clink of bottles and laughter just barely met my ears, but I imagined the sound more than heard it, simply because I could see it.

Scanning through faces, I gasped at the sight of Phil, my stepfather. He looked older, but he was laughing with a few other men sitting near him. My breath caught in my throat when he smiled a different smile, opening his arms for the woman walking to him. Renee looked...amazing and beautiful and happy. She settled between his legs, joining in on the laughter and holding a glass of wine in her hand.

A small girl about the age of three ran to my mother, who received her with a hug, a laugh, and a kiss to the side of her head. The little one had long, light brown curls, dimples when she smiled, and she was holding a fistful of seashells in her hand.

"Who is she?" I asked aloud to no one in particular.

"Her niece," Carlisle answered.

"Madeline," Edward added. "She's Phil's sister's little girl. From what I can gather, they're visiting from Phoenix. They're considering moving here. They've been thinking about property and rent and jobs."

I nodded in acceptance, but I didn't tear my gaze away from my mother. She poked through the shells in Madeline's hand, picking up one in particular.

"She's going to make a necklace," I muttered, smiling at the memory of a time when Renee had made one for me.

"How'd you know that?" Edward asked.

"She made one for me." I gripped the binoculars, and a warm hand soothed my fingers. "She'll use leather so that she can wear it all the time..."

"Yes, that's what she's telling her," Edward said, pressing kisses to the back of my head. "She's remembering making yours. She wants Madeline and her mother to move to Florida, because she's hoping she'll make a good aunt."

"She will," I sighed, shaking my head and thinking Madeline couldn't ask for a better aunt. Renee would be that crazy, easy to talk to, fearless aunt. The one that wouldn't be afraid to discuss boys, sex, or get dirty with finger paints or cookie dough. I realized that my mother had found a band-aid to heal herself in my absence. And that made me feel better than anything Charlie could've ever told me or any pictures he could've sent my way. I swallowed thickly around the lump in my throat. "She'll make the perfect aunt."

"Can I see?" we heard softly to our left, and I looked up to see Caroline gazing out over the water.

She'd become a stunning immortal. Her beauty rivaled that of Rosalie, with her golden locks and her long eyelashes, but her stature was smaller, more petite.

"Yeah, here," I said, handing her the binoculars. "My mother is the third one in from the right."

She lifted them to her face as I snuggled closer to Edward, letting him hug me tight. He whispered sweet words of love, comfort, and praise. He didn't apologize, and for that, I was grateful. Because for the first time, I was okay with walking away from my mother. She was happy and comfortable. She was in love and smiling. And she hadn't forgotten me, nor was she still grieving.

"Wow, she's so _pretty_," Caroline gushed in a whisper. "You look just like her!"

I chuckled a bit, looking up at her. "Yeah, Charlie always told me that."

Caroline handed me the binoculars back, and I immediately put them back up to my eyes. The party on the beach was breaking up a bit, but Renee scooped up Madeline, holding her back to her front. I could read their lips as the little girl pointed up above. Looking up, I saw a falling star streak across the night sky, and I didn't need to hear what was being said.

_Star light, star bright,  
The first star I see tonight.  
I wish I may, I wish I might,  
Have the wish I wish tonight._

My mother was never really religious, but she'd needed something to hold on to, so whenever she was missing her own mom, she'd say that poem with every shooting star. Which meant that even though she missed me...

"She's at peace," Edward finished for me quietly in my ear, wrapping both arms around me.

I nodded, handing Carlisle his binoculars back and kissing his cheek. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, sweetheart. Would you like us to go now?" he asked tentatively, his eyes flickering to Edward behind me.

"Yeah..." I turned in Edward's arms, barely registering everyone else around us.

My husband scooped me up, walking us to the seats at the stern of the boat. "I've got you, Bella," he whispered, sitting down with me wrapped around him.

"She looks amazing," I murmured into his neck.

"She does," he agreed. "She's doing very well, love. She sees you...and me, for that matter...as angels watching over her." He ran his fingers soothingly and slowly through my hair as Carlisle pulled up anchor and started the engine. "She misses you, but she lives a very full life. And she sees Madeline as a second chance, something to focus all her love on...sort of like Esme does to all of us."

I smiled, but my eyes stung with tears I really wished I could shed. "Good," I mumbled against his skin.

He snickered softly, bringing up my hand to kiss every finger. "You're okay," he said as a statement more than a question.

"Yeah. It was good to see her, but I can see that my decision not to be in her life was the right one," I whispered, pulling back but looking down between us as I played with his wedding ring. "She's doing okay. Better than okay."

Tilting my head up, Edward studied my face, his eyes warm and worried. "Tell me what you need, baby."

I snuggled back into his arms. "Just this, Edward. This is perfect."

Dropping a kiss to my shoulder, his arms wrapped all the way around me. "Yes, ma'am. For as long as you need..."

~oOo~

The farther south we sailed, the warmer the weather, the water, and the people became. The Florida Keys were a level of laid-back that I'd never seen. It was tourists and beach nightclubs, but it was also artists, musicians, and fishermen – people just trying to make ends meet in a place where time stood still. There was a feeling of live and let live that floated around just about everyone we came across.

Carlisle and Esme wanted to be dropped off just south of Miami with Caroline and Archie. They were hunting, though Edward had teased them all that about the only thing they'd find would be alligators. The mere thought made my nose wrinkle. Edward and I were to refuel, grab a few supplies, and briefly double-back to pick them up. It seemed like a waste of time not to be perpetually moving forward, but Edward didn't want to refuel in Miami; he wanted to show me Key West. And really, we were all just trying to accommodate each other in the long journey.

Caroline was doing so very well, though there had been times when my shield had been needed to keep her from the scent of humans...or in reality, keep _her_ from the humans. Stops for fuel, passing boats, and even a cargo ship or two had been a test of all of our abilities to keep the newborn from losing control. And she really was trying. She wanted so badly to impress Archie, to show him that she could maintain, but her instincts were hard to fight so soon after her change. No one judged her on a thing.

Archie, on the other hand, was flourishing out on the open water. For someone that had only seen the inside of one house his entire long life, he was dealing with the world and all its charms better than I'd imagined. He drank in everything around him, listened to Carlisle's subtle guiding, asked a million questions of Edward, and monitored his girl like a champ. He worried about her, praised her, and never chided. He was smiles and kisses, laughter and hugs. He was truly happy, even with all the hard work it took to keep Caroline on the straight and narrow.

The night was balmy, the air thick and humid as a gentle hand helped me onto the dock. This would be one of the few times we could interact with humans since this trip had begun.

"You look—" Edward chuckled, shaking his head as his brow furrowed in a painful expression "—like an angel, sweet girl."

Kissing his cheek, I thanked him. "I was tired of swimsuits and shorts."

"I... Well, I wasn't, but this is..." He shook his head again, slower, his eyes darkening as they drank me in from my feet to my head.

I was wearing one of the colorful peasant skirts that Imelda had made for me in Italy, and I'd paired it with a simple white tank top, leaving my hair down. What made me roll my eyes at my sweet husband was that he was just as glorious, standing there in long khaki cargo shorts, a white button-down with the sleeves rolled up, and simple white sneakers. American Eagle models had nothing on Edward.

I giggled at his rambling, loving that I had that effect on him, but I kissed his cheek again. "Thank you. You're lookin' pretty handsome, too, Edward. Come on. I know you won't do this by yourself."

His face morphed into an adorable expression that rivaled a pouting child as he mumbled, "No."

Shopping was torture to my sweet man. Torture. He hated it. He hated shopping for himself, so grabbing supplies for Caroline and Archie was out of the question. And the word supplies meant clothes. With all the hunting, with Caroline's still very new strength, not to mention a few handsy moments courtesy of Edward, we all needed a few things.

Time alone with Edward was rare since we'd been traveling, and usually, we ravished each other until we could barely see straight if we caught a brief chance alone, but this was different. This was an even more infrequent occurrence. This was a chance for us to just play, to just laugh and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells around us, and from the possessive grip of Edward's hand on my waist, this was a chance for him to show me off.

While the boat was being refueled, we wandered into one of the tourist sections of Key West. Music from clubs and open bars thumped around us, the scent of human food and alcohol was thick in the air, and humans were everywhere – from the tanned locals to the sunburned visitors. Our presence was ignored for the most part, and most gave us a wide berth, but occasionally, I'd catch someone staring.

Finding the closest shop, I tugged Edward inside, trying to save his poor abused mind.

"Abused," he said with a chuckle. "It _is_ feeling a little battered."

Grinning, I squeezed his hand. "Yeah, I figured. We've been out of contact for a bit." I patted his chest. "Wait here, baby. This won't take long. I promise. I'm not Alice."

"And for that, I'm a grateful, _grateful_ man," he murmured, making me laugh as I walked deeper into the store.

Playing the spoiled, rich tourist wasn't my favorite activity, but sometimes, it was necessary. I piled up swimsuits, T-shirts, shorts, and other needs for all of us onto the counter. After I'd added a few pairs of sandals, a baseball cap or three, and a Margaritaville T-shirt that screamed Jasper, I slid the shiny black card across the counter that I tried my best never to think about.

Edward's chuckle met my ears, but he rolled his eyes. "I'm glad you don't love me for my money," he taunted, and not for the first time.

"It's not your money I love," I purred back just to tease him.

His eyes narrowed playfully, but he changed the subject quickly. "Are we done?"

"No." I laughed, cupping his face the best I could with all the bags in my hands.

My poor man sighed in defeat, but his gentlemanly ways won out over anything else. He offered to take the bags to the boat and come right back to me. Smiling, I handed them over and kissed his lips.

Knowing he could find me by mind and by scent, I continued down the sidewalk, taking in the shops. I could feel the stares of lustful human eyes as I stopped in front of a small jewelry shop. Across the way, music thumped to an island beat, and I smiled when familiar strong arms wrapped around me.

"He wants you, love," Edward whispered in my ear, and his voice sounded possessive, growly, and dangerous.

"I'm so very, very taken," I sighed dramatically, leaning back into him, but I knew who he was talking about – the young clerk behind the counter. His skin was tan, his eyes almost black, and his stare was so very obvious, but he was young, no more than eighteen.

Edward chuckled darkly, moving my hair from my shoulder in order to drop an open-mouthed kiss to my skin. "Yes. Yes, you are."

Everything he was doing to me was with a purpose. Every flattened hand over my stomach, every nuzzle to my neck, and every whispered word that made me laugh was marking his territory.

"Is there something you wanted from here, my sweet, beautiful girl?" he asked, giving the handmade jewelry a casual glance but ignoring the poor boy behind the counter.

I turned in his arms, gazing up at him. "No, I was just waiting for you." I glanced over his shoulder toward the outdoor club, smiling a little. "Dance with me, Edward."

The Spanish beat was hard to resist. It ebbed and flowed, making me want to press myself against Edward without shame.

Grinning, he asked, "Do we have time?"

"One dance," I urged, winding my arms around his neck. "Then we'll grab the towels and soaps that we all need. There's a drugstore right there," I whispered, brushing my lips across his.

I could see that he was weighing out whether we had the time, but I also knew that he'd give in, because that's what Edward did. He'd hand me the world, without my asking, but it was the little things I wanted.

A firm, strong arm wrapped around my waist, and Edward laughed when I squeaked. "One dance, baby."

"I promise, I don't need to stand on the tops of your feet," I teased him.

"Believe me, I know. And I never minded," he reminded me with a sexy, crooked grin and a wink.

The crowd around us, the swaying beat, and the feel of Edward wrapping my body around his was sensual but carefree. My body was his to lead, and he did it with just as much grace as he did everything else. Although, it was hard not to compare some of his moves to making love, especially when we were forehead to forehead, hips grinding, hands grasping. His long, knowledgeable fingers slid forcefully into my hair at the base of my skull, and soon, Edward's lips were on mine.

It wasn't desperate. It wasn't needy. It was a silent "I love you." We took it no further than kissing, swaying to the music. It was a slow, deep, languid kiss, with sweeping lips and claiming tongues that twisted together in harmony. His taste, that deep, rumbling, masculine moan, and his hands guiding me, pulling me closer, made me turn my head, grip his hair, and lose myself for just a few moments.

When the song was over, the kiss slowed down until I opened my eyes to smile at Edward as he picked up my hand and kissed my wedding ring reverently. "Love you," I told him.

He smiled sweetly, nuzzling my nose with his own – up one side and down the other. "Oh, Mrs. Cullen...I'm absolutely, absurdly, head over heels in love with you. Don't you ever, ever forget it."

My whole body felt warm with his words, and my lips felt kiss-swollen, but I sighed in contentment with that proclamation. I shook my head, brushing another kiss over his chin. "Never."

~oOo~

**EDWARD**

"Bella-love?" I hummed against the sweet-smelling skin of her neck.

"Hmm?" she sang back, and I could hear the happy smile in her tone.

It made me chuckle to hear the post-coital, sated bliss not only in her voice, but in her mind, as well.

We were lounging back on _The Infinity_, anchored out just off the shore of Miami while we waited for the others to return from hunting. After our stop in the Keys and our dance, I'd barely been able to suffer through one more store before I got her back on the boat. Bella had been so beautiful, almost ethereal, and I'd been the envy of more than one man in the small tourist town. I'd hardly made it on deck and into the cabin before I took her hard and fast on the galley table – her skirt had remained on. And we were both grateful that no one ate at that table.

That last thought made me smile against her neck again, but I focused on what I needed to tell her.

Pulling back, I reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear. "We probably should take the next hunting trip in Carlisle's and Esme's place."

"Okay," she agreed quickly, her brow furrowing. "But why?"

I simply chuckled, raising an eyebrow up at her.

"Oh."

"Right. Oh."

"Mm'kay. Got it," she said with a giggle. "Say no more. They gave us time, so it's only fair."

I nodded. "Exactly, love."

With a narrowed-eyed, conspiratorial smirk, she asked, "And Caroline and Archie?"

I snorted at her. "You know what they say about curiosity..."

"I'm no cat."

"Mm, indeed."

"Tell me!" she chortled, poking my stomach.

I sighed, pursing my lips at her but capturing her fingers before she could poke me again. "They're...struggling. Archie wants to wait until she's not so...feral, but that feral mindset is what's driving Caroline to push things."

Bella's nose wrinkled, but her mind was filled with sympathetic thoughts. "That's a fine line to walk."

Nodding, I said, "It is. She feels rejected."

Bella sat up a little on the benches. "Archie feels off when he gives into what he truly is, doesn't he?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She smiled evilly. "That's a shame. They're missing out on the...mm, _rougher_ side of things."

Laughing, I dropped a kiss to her temple and got up from the seating area. "That's true, but in his defense, I understand why he's holding back. Instinct or not, that's not how he sees their first time."

"Ah...what a romantic era you two were born in," she teased, shooting a wink my way. "Not that I'm complaining, but still...it's a tough adjustment for a girl from this day and age. You and I met in the middle. I suppose they will, too. Eventually?" she said, though it came out as a hopeful question.

I wanted to tell her that we met in the middle because when I'd returned to her, it had been utterly impossible to deny my wants, needs, and love for her. She'd had me wrapped around her finger simply for accepting me back. I would've done anything she asked of me. And that hadn't changed. Not one bit. I was owned by her, and I had zero complaints. But maybe that had been Bella's point. Both Archie and Caroline needed to give a little. Marriage and courting and abstinence were almost ideals that were long gone. Neither my father, nor my siblings had waited to be married once they'd found their mate, so perhaps we'd all let go of the expectations of our past eras. Or maybe we'd just given in to what our hearts told us. I wasn't sure. It was probably a little of both.

Splashes off the starboard bow caught our attention. Poor Archie looked a little ragged, his shirt shredded.

_Don't ask_, he thought to me, a low growl rumbling out of him, but I could see that they had, indeed, hunted alligators.

Grinning at him, I shrugged. "I wasn't going to say anything. But you look like you've seen better days."

"Bite me," he snapped, tearing the remnants of his shirt off and tossing it into the garbage.

"Too late. The gator already did," Caroline snorted, folding her arms across her chest. "Good thing, that impervious skin, huh?"

"Well," Bella sang, wearing an amused smile, "it seems you guys had fun." Her sarcasm made Carlisle grin, though he hid it as he readied the boat.

The tension was rolling off Archie and Caroline in waves, but Esme locked gazes with me.

_She pushed him too far during the hunt. When he pulled away, she shoved him backwards into the swamp_, she explained silently, and my eyebrows shot up. _I understand that he wants to wait. That's between them, but he's not telling her _why_ he wants to wait._

I nodded, kissed her cheek. "Got it."

Bella told the girls about all the supplies that we'd picked up in Key West, and they headed down into the cabin to sort through it. I knew nothing would be spoken aloud about what had just occurred. Caroline was well aware of listening ears, and to her, it was embarrassing. When the girl-talk turned to nail polish and painting toenails – a way of Caroline to learn to control her strength – then I knew we just needed to push on. Though, I had a suspicion my sweet girl was biting her tongue, if only for the moment.

~oOo~

The mountains of Puerto Rico and a heavy rain proved to be dangerous hunting grounds. It was a small island, filled with a lot of humans and scattered dwellings, the latter of which almost became too much for Caroline to deal with. Bella's shield had to be around her completely.

She and Caroline hunted together. As I fell down onto a fallen log, rain dripped heavily down around me. This was the last island we'd be stopping before South America. We still had a few more days travel before we reached Rio, but all of our future hunting stops would be in Brazil.

Carlisle and Esme were back on the boat. They'd been grateful that we'd given them the time alone, but they'd also wanted to keep an eye on things concerning the weather. I could hear Archie's mind, but I was trying to stay out of it because he'd needed to clear his head. He'd hunted when he didn't really need to, but at the moment, he was sitting by a small creek alone.

However, try as I might to give her privacy, Bella's mind was and always would be the clearest and loudest thoughts around me. And I could see her eying Caroline with concern and a touch of sympathy. It wasn't a good day for the newborn. She was angry, questioning everything, and beyond pissed off. Hunting wasn't helping.

"Want to talk about it?" Bella asked gently, sitting down on a log much like my own as her eyes followed a pacing Caroline.

"No...Yes... I don't know! And about which part?" Caroline sputtered, glaring at Bella.

Bella smiled, plucking a deep red flower from a vine next to her. She twirled it in her fingers but glanced back up at the distraught girl. "Let's start with your anger, but narrow it down to right now. What's got you so pissed right this second?"

"I almost... there was a little boy..."

My eyebrows shot up as I saw what had just about unfolded. During the hunt, Caroline had caught the scent of human blood, but Bella had reacted swiftly and forcefully with her shield. The child was none the wiser, but Caroline knew what she'd just about done.

"That never would've happened. I wouldn't have let you make that mistake, Caroline," Bella said calmly. "These are tight hunting quarters, yes, but I was prepared for it."

"Thanks." Caroline sighed, looking out over the rain sodden jungle. "I don't know why I'm angry," she started softly, but she kept going. "I feel so different, yet the same. I mean, I feel like me, but then my body doesn't do what it's supposed to. And then...I think about how I got here, and I get even angrier. My dad..."

Bella inhaled the flower in her fingers and nodded. "You're still grieving, sweetie. It's normal. You should remember this."

I braced myself because I saw the snarl coming from Caroline before Bella did.

She rounded on my wife, her deep red eyes darkening with black ire. "How would _you_ know?! Huh? You got to keep your family. They're still alive."

Bella stood up and was in Caroline's face before she could blink. My girl's shield shifted, morphed, and wrapped around the flustered girl without prejudice, pressing her into the nearest tree. "That wasn't always the case. I got to keep my father, but not until later. I was lucky that there are more legends running around than just us. However, I was and still am dead to my mother. I can look, but I can't touch, talk, or even write her a fucking letter. You saw that for yourself. I'm not saying which is easier because I honestly don't know. But don't talk to me as if I don't know what you're going through. We've all lost our families in this life. I'm sorry for the loss of yours."

My girl gave Caroline one last glare before she took a step back, picked up the flower, and sat back down.

"Why'd they change me? Why'd Edward and Carlisle do it?" Caroline whispered, gazing more at the vegetation around her than Bella.

Bella's nostrils flared, and she sniffed once. "Because those two, out of all of us, know what it feels like to live without their mate. They were and always will be the strongest and the most controlled. I was under the impression you were given a choice, or did Edward lie to me?"

Caroline flinched with the harshness of Bella's tone. Her mind was flying through how to answer that because she knew Bella was goading her. And my girl knew for a fact that I'd never lie to her, especially about something as serious as the immortal change. She also knew that with the mood Caroline was in, she had no choice but to fight fire with fire, anger with anger.

"No, he asked," Caroline finally answered softly, toeing at the ground.

"Come sit, Caroline," Bella ordered gently, patting the log next to her. When the girl plopped down with a sigh, my girl smiled. "You are feeling every single thing today, and that's okay. You're wound up, you're angry, you're _definitely_ frustrated."

I snorted into a laugh, shaking my head at Bella's last wry point, especially when her mind skated over what it had been like to want me and not be able to touch.

Caroline smirked, but it fell quickly. "You say they changed me because of Archie, but..."

"Archie was only a part of the reason. You had to have answered Edward's question, or you wouldn't be here," Bella stated firmly. "Both Carlisle and my Edward believe in a choice."

"Archie doesn't want me," she whispered, glaring down at her hands as she wrung them.

"Oh, yes, he does," Bella told her, handing the flower to Caroline and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "He just doesn't want you in this..." My girl waved a hand around at their surroundings – rain, thunder, mud. "He doesn't want you like an animal. Not the first time, anyway."

Caroline gave a long, slow gaze around her but nodded. She finally understood.

"Look...I get it. Your skin is on fire, your fingers ache to touch, and the venom pours down your throat at the very mention of him. Truly, that's instinct kicking in. That's the non-human part of you. Focus on the human part – your heart, your soul. You don't want this, either," she urged her, giving another point to the woods.

Caroline's nose wrinkled, but she simply waited for Bella's point.

My girl smiled and noted somewhere in the back of her mind that she knew I was listening, which caused a grin to spread over my face. She also thought I was about to _love_ what she was about to say.

With a humorous snort, my Bella went on. "Caroline, listen... You've only just started to get to know each other. And I know that it doesn't matter when it comes down to being mates, but it's not easy being from two different eras. It's just...not. Sometimes, it can be funny and awesome and intriguing, but sometimes, it can be frustrating. I know you think waiting for sex is an ancient concept, and I was terrified of marriage because my parents weren't exactly the best example. I know you think chivalry sounds oppressing and that the possessiveness is a little caveman-like, but then you don't. It's confusing and twisted.

"As humans, women are stupid and complicated," Bella said with a chuckle. "We want equal everything, but then we still want the guy to come to our rescue like a knight in shining armor on a white steed." She laughed, rolling her eyes that I was listening.

I chuckled to myself, falling in love with her that much more.

Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly. "But to _them_...to those stubborn hundred-year-old vampires, the waiting, the marriage, and the chivalry mean _every-fucking-thing_. Those traditions and values are all they have from back then to cling to."

Smiling, I gripped my sopping wet hair, wanting to run to my Bella and kiss her senseless.

"And that's what you have to think about," Bella stated, nudging Caroline. "It's important to_ them_." With a squeeze to her shoulder, Bella went on. "They'd hand you the world, but there are some things that are just so important to them, an ideal that just can't be ignored, and that's when you have to take a step back and wonder if it'll be worth it. Take it from me...it's so, so worth it."

"But you said to push..." Caroline argued.

"I did. I said to push, not devalue his beliefs," she countered. "You have to meet him halfway. And you have to make him talk about it. He won't. It's how he was raised, to think it an improper topic of conversation."

Caroline nodded, looking down at the flower Bella had given her. With a swift, sure move, Bella poked her side, which resulted in the flower's destruction. Petals were ripped and shredded, the stem still in her now clenched hand.

"And there's the other reason Archie's waiting," Bella said knowingly. "You don't want to spend your first night together watching Carlisle reattach Archie's arm or something. It's not about the strength; he knows what that would do to you. Learn to control that, and you'll both feel a little better. But Caroline, you've got time."

After a brief moment, Caroline finally acquiesced. The girls stood up and ran their fingers through their wet hair. Both were calm after having that talk, especially Caroline.

Before they left their little clearing to make their way down to the beach, Caroline stopped my Bella. "Am I... I mean, is all this driving Edward crazy?"

I snorted and rolled my eyes.

Bella giggled. "No more than the rest of us, sweetie. And trust me, he's never, ever going to use it against you or say anything inappropriate. So don't sweat it."

They took off in a run, but Bella's thoughts directed to me. _We'll meet you at the beach, handsome._

Nodding stupidly when she couldn't see me, I tracked down Archie, leaning on the tree behind him. "You ready to head back?"

"Did Caroline get enough?"

"Yes."

"She's with Bella?"

"Yes."

"She still mad at me?" he groaned.

"No."

I smiled when he spun to face me. His mind was questioning whether I was lying or not. Once he'd acknowledged my sincerity, he let out a breath of relief.

"She's trying to drive me crazy," he grumbled. "In fact, I know I'm going mad."

"She loves you," I said with a chuckle. "You must understand that first. And women like to be shown they're cared for in a physical way. It's...important."

He frowned and shook his head. "No. Not yet."

"If you feel that way, you have to tell her. But she just had a long talk with Bella, so I think you're safe for a while." I grinned, simply because I couldn't help it.

"Safe until she rages again," Archie snorted, but I could tell he was feeling better about things.

"The swift changes in her mood are normal, Archie. You know this. Hell, you remember this," I told him. "Add in that she's still adjusting to the loss of her father and her humanity, and she's an emotional mess. I don't need Jasper here to tell you that. She simply just needs something to cling to, and it's instinctual that she cling to _you_. You're her mate. She needs that reassurance in some form that everything will be okay."

"Will it?"

"Yes. In time." I frowned, tilting my head at him. "Esme went through the same thing. She'd tried to end her human life, yet woke up to this one, instead. That wasn't something that Carlisle was prepared to handle. Anger didn't begin to cover what she was thinking, but deep down, she knew that Carlisle was there for her." I walked to Archie, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're doing an amazing job making sure Caroline's taken care of on a...newborn level. You have to make sure she's okay on an emotional one, as well. She's going to be scared, angry, frustrated. She needs to know that you're loving her throughout it all, no matter what, no matter how...scary they can get."

I grimaced, but Archie snorted into a laugh.

"Experience?" he asked, still chuckling.

"Do you have any idea how many times I had to pry Bella off Emmett in the beginning?" I groaned, shaking my head. "He'd push until she snapped. She was this brunette blur of motion in the backyard, growling at him as she landed on his head." I smiled sadly. "Then she'd feel just awful about it. So yeah, experience."

"Bella had more control," he countered.

"Physically and thirst-wise, yes. But not emotionally. She felt things to the extreme," I told him, thinking back to a time when she'd been new to this life. The loss of her elderly friend, Miss Gail, had sent my girl into a downward spiral of emotion. My heart had broken for her that day as I'd watched my sweet girl destroy a small section of woods in her grief. I sighed at the memory and looked to Archie. "It's all normal, and it will all level out."

Archie nodded and started toward the shore, but I stopped him.

"Before we make it to Isle Esme, and before my brothers catch wind of this, I should tell you that they'll be unrelenting with their teasing," I told him with a chuckle. "Both are firm believers in instant gratification," I said, raising an eyebrow up at him. "My sisters? Even worse. So while we're alone, I'll tell you this much... Waiting is fine, and I understand your reasons, but there's nothing wrong with slow progress...with working up to it."

"Aw, Edward, I don't know," he hedged, shaking his head.

"Archie, you're stronger than you think, and you're denying yourself as well as Caroline, but don't you think that some...activities could be a lesson in physical control?" I asked him, waiting for him to catch my drift.

Archie's eyes widened and then shot to mine. "We're driving you crazy, right?"

Laughing, I nodded. "Yeah, but no more than Rose and Emmett did back in the day. Come on. The girls are waiting for us."

~oOo~

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen! You're cheating! _Again_!" Bella growled, throwing her hand of cards at my head.

"Bella, you're shielding me!"

"Oh, uh uh. No way. You've got your ways," she sneered, her eyes narrowing at me dangerously. "Seriously, Edward? You're brilliant, with an infallible memory. Is cheating that necessary?"

Grinning at Carlisle's and Esme's laughter up on deck, I simply shrugged. In reality, I loved to watch my girl get all sorts of bent out of shape over a simple game of Uno. She was sexy and stunning when she was pissed. Her eyes flashed darkly, her mouth set in a pout, and there was this little vein that popped out on the side of her neck that was just about the most delicious thing I'd ever had the pleasure of tasting.

"Sweetheart, I'm not cheating," I lied, and she totally knew it, but it was the same argument every time we played a game. "How can you say that?"

"Because you just hit me with like forty cards! There's no way you have that many Draw Four, Skip, Reverse, and Draw Two cards in your hand. You stacked the damn deck, Edward," she snorted, rolling her eyes.

"Pure luck of the game, baby," I said smugly with a grin.

"One day, she'll snap his hands off just to teach him a lesson," Carlisle snorted to Esme.

"She'll snap _something_ off, that's for sure," Esme countered wryly.

Bella paused, smirking at what they'd said, but her eyes betrayed her as she gazed at my hands. _No, that'll never happen_, she thought to me with a giggle. _Mm, I like those fingers way too much._

I leaned back against the pile of pillows on our bed, bending my arms behind my head. "Do tell, sweet girl."

Her eyes narrowed again, and she reached down and threw the whole deck of cards at me. "Cheater."

My mouth fell open when she shifted, because just underneath her folded legs were two hidden cards. "What's this, Isabella?" I taunted, moving swiftly in order to catch her and grab the two rogue cards.

My girl's laughter was full and happy and like music to my ears, but her squeal of surprise when I tackled her onto her back onto the mattress was even better.

"I've had to learn to keep things fair, Mr. Cullen!" she said through hysterics as I relentlessly tickled her.

Chuckling, I buried my face in her hair. She smelled of her usual scent with a touch of sunshine and sea air. "Okay, okay," I finally conceded, settling into the cradle of her thighs. "It's official. I've turned you into a ruthless card shark."

Bella grinned, wrapping her arms around my neck, but she leaned up to nip playfully at my jaw. "It's purely defensive, I assure you."

Brushing my lips across hers in a barely-there touch, I pressed my forehead to hers. "I love you," I mouthed, suddenly wishing we were very much alone.

_I love you, too, Edward,_ she replied silently, framing my face in both of her hands. _I'm ready for the island. For time alone with you. _She pouted and showed me exactly where on the island she wanted our alone time to be.

Nodding, I smiled at the memory of our honeymoon. "Yeah, there. Exactly. Who is reading whose mind now? Hmm?"

She giggled, shrugging a shoulder, and I leaned down to kiss it, then her neck, and then her lips.

_How much longer, Edward?_

I shook my head. "Days," I replied, brushing her hair from her face as I braced my elbows on either side of her head.

We were already parallel to Brazil and making our way down toward Rio. From Rio, where we'd stop for one last refuel, we'd make our way to Isle Esme. Though, we'd have to stop to hunt a few more times before then.

It had been a long trip, filled with several stops, not only for fuel but for Caroline's thirst. But it had given us a chance to take our time teaching her, as well as keeping her away from humans. Airports, planes, and even Rio had way too many possibilities of something going wrong. Alice had seen it, even with Bella's shield. So the boat had been our only option. But as much as I knew we were needed and appreciated, I was ready to steal Bella away for myself, for purely wicked and selfish reasons. And it seemed my girl was feeling exactly the same way.

However, Isle Esme would always bring beautiful memories of our honeymoon to us, so perhaps that was the reason for the need, the want that was swirling electrically around us.

"Good." She sighed in want, yet there was an underlying layer of contentment to the sweet sound. "I can't wait."

Grinning, I kissed her again, just reveling in the feel of her beneath me, wrapped around me. "Me, either, Bella."

* * *

**A/N... So Bella saw her mother doing very well. I debated over and over whether it was something she'd do, and I decided at the very last second that she wouldn't be able to resist. Caroline is going through all the typical newborn things, and sometimes, she needs to be treated with a blatant reminder that...yes, things are hard, but everyone around her has been through it all in some way, shape, or form.**

**My pre-reader, GooberLou, speaks of Puerto Rico often and has shown me a few pictures. It sounded way too beautiful not to use here. Key West, on the other hand, can be very touristy yet laidback at the same time; then again, most of Florida – along with the gators – is very casual and hot and muggy. LOL And yes, we will be to Rio and Isle Esme next chapter, which is finished and I'm about to send it off to everyone.**

**No songs for the playlist, but I'll be adding to it soon enough.**

**After this, I see 2 more regular chapters and the epi, and another Angelward will be over. I know, I know... But I can't write him forever. Eventually, you'd hate it. Next posting is Sunday, so I'll see you then. Mooches, Deb. :)**


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N... You should know now that there will be only one more regular chapter after this one. There will be an epilogue, as well. So two more posts of Angelward left. :( I know that you guys have been dreading this, but like I said before, he can't continue forever.**

**This chapter comes with a LEMON WARNING, as well as a touch of nostalgia for _Broken Angel_. A trip down memory lane, if you will. It was positively impossible not to hit Rio and Isle Esme without thinking of Edward and Bella's honeymoon. So forgive me my emotional take on things. Okay? ;)**

**That being said, I'll let you get on with it. See me at the bottom...**

* * *

Chapter 39

**BELLA**

My eyes took in Rio, causing a smile to curl my lips. I remembered my beautiful wedding and an endless flight to get here. Getting busted making out in the wee hours of the morning on the last flight into Rio, along with never-ending games of Hangman and Tic-Tac-Toe were just the simple, fun things that belonged to only Edward and me.

The large statue of Jesus guarded over the city on his high perch, arms outstretched and welcoming. The hustle and bustle of the nighttime activities waged around us as we walked down the sidewalk. Alice had asked us to stop at one of her favorite stores to pick up something she'd ordered before we made that final dash to Isle Esme.

Off to my left, I saw the motorcycle rental place that we'd gone to on our honeymoon. It had been the first time I'd hunted something other than deer or moose. And it was also the first time Edward and I had realized that hunting carnivores created some sort of carnal reaction between us.

"_Say my name again," he said against my skin. "It will be the only name you will remember when I'm through fucking you."_

I'd come simply by his words. Then again, Dirty Edward had more power than he was willing to admit. It had started to rain that day, and Edward had taken me hard against a tree, his mouth at my ear spilling the most delicious and sensual words I'd ever heard.

"Shit, Bella," Edward hissed, and suddenly, I found myself in a dark alley, pressed against a brick wall. "You have to stop, baby," he growled low, but his face was sweet and begging.

"I'm sorry. I can't help it," I whispered, my hands slipping slowly up his chest. "So many memories...our honeymoon, trips back here..."

Warm, heated eyes gazed down at me as he nodded in agreement. "I know, but you're killing me," he breathed, leaning his entire body against me.

I could feel his want for me pressing into my stomach, and that shot my control right out of the water.

"Fuck," I gasped, pulling his head down to mine and kissing him with all that I had.

Squirming just the right way, I used the wall behind me to climb Edward's lean body, wrapping myself around him, and he made no move to stop me. In fact, he merely pressed harder against where I ached for him the most, which caused my eyes to roll back and my head to thump to the bricks behind me as his lips trailed fiery and hot down my jaw, across my throat, and up to my ear. Khaki rubbed against khaki, and one of Edward's large hands cupped my bottom while the other snaked up my shirt to palm my breast over my swimsuit top. But the constant roll of hips never stopped, even when Dirty Edward escaped out into the dark alley of Rio.

"Believe me, Isabella, if it's something you want, then I want it ten times more. Mmm, the heat, baby," he said, slowly removing his hand from my shirt and snaking it between us to tease the inner seam of my shorts. "Did just thinking about me fucking you against that tree get you this hot?"

"Yes," I hissed, grasping his face in my hands roughly. I kissed his lips, forcing his gaze to mine. "Edward..."

"Do you want to come? Right here? Now?" he asked, his voice deadly, dark, raspy. "'Cause, sweet girl, I'll do it. I'll help you," he vowed solemnly, his fingers splaying between my legs as he felt me throb for him. "But I swear with all that I fucking have that I _will_ take care of what's mine when we have the chance. When we're finally all alone, then we'll make new memories that'll keep you wet and wanting me."

I wanted to sob with need because it had been so damn long since Edward had truly unleashed this side of him, and it was probably being in Rio and the memories that came with it that were pushing us. Peals of laughter echoed up the dark alleyway, and even though I knew we'd never be seen, suddenly, I didn't want this here. Well, I wanted it, but not enough to defile an already-disgusting alley.

Edward slowed down, reading everything I was thinking. His eyes lost that dark edge and warmed to a deep amber as he pulled his hand away from between my legs and placed it on my thigh. "I want you, too, my love. So badly that I'm aching, but..."

"Not here."

"No, not here. I'd really rather take my time with you," he said, and even though I whimpered at the mere thought, his promise was sweet and needy. "And I really want to have you all to myself," he sighed forlornly, his eyes wincing just a little when more voices and sounds burst up the alley.

It had been a long journey to get where we were right at that moment. Edward's mind had to have been weary of not only the members of the family we were traveling with, but with every human mind that we'd come across along the way. And he'd needed to listen, so my offer to shield him had been declined more often than not.

It had taken us almost two weeks to traverse the North Atlantic, the Caribbean, and finally, the South Atlantic, keeping close to places Caroline could hunt. It had been harsh weather, family arguments, a newborn's mood swings, and hard work. But there had been more fun times than bad. Carlisle, Edward, and Esme had told us endless funny stories about the family over the years, Archie had learned to relish new things instead of fearing them, and Caroline had started to accept her change, though she was still fairly on edge. Calm seas at night reflecting the stars above, stolen kisses in the sunshine against sparkling lips, Edward's soft guitar playing at night as if it were the only sound on Earth, and even the rare moment alone were all new memories that I'd cherish. I'd even grown closer to Carlisle and Esme, especially after I'd seen my mother. I could appreciate how much they loved and accepted not only me, but all of us after that.

Adventurous as the trip had been, I could find nothing to complain about because Edward had been there the whole way. We always tended to thrive just about anywhere, as long as we were together.

Edward grinned at that thought. "True, baby."

I sighed, glancing up the alleyway, but he hadn't put me down yet. Gazing back at his handsome face, I said, "Not here," because as much as I wanted him, needed him, felt starved for him, I could wait. "But give me a second..."

My Edward chuckled, setting me gently on my feet and dropping a heavy kiss to my forehead. "You're so beautiful, Bella. When you're that lost in memories, it's hard to deny you..."

Smiling, I nodded, trying to right my clothes, my hair, my achy feelings of need. I tried to remember where we were and why.

"Store, love. For Alice," Edward reminded gently, not judging one bit, though he was looking rather smug.

"Oh yeah..."

"Candles or some...madness," he sighed, rolling his eyes.

My eyes narrowed playfully as my skin finally stopped stinging from his touch. "You know, I think you secretly like shopping, but you won't admit it."

He snorted. "Uh, no. Not at all. Not even a little bit. The only thing I like is surprising _you_ with things."

I giggled at his put-out face and linked our fingers together. "Okay, come on. The quicker we get this errand done for her, the quicker we're back on the boat, the quicker we're on the island."

He chuckled, kissing my temple, and whispered, "The quicker I can steal you away."

I sighed deeply and dramatically. "Can I hear an amen?" I sang.

Wrapping an arm around my shoulders, Edward guided me back onto the busy sidewalk, muttering a deep, rumbling, "Amen..."

The grin barely faded from my face, even when we walked into the shop that Alice had directed us to. The Brazilian clerk eye-fucked Edward shamelessly as he conversed with her in perfect Portuguese, which I understood most of now. She had dark hair and smoky eyes and was sorely disappointed with every smile, kiss, and touch I received. But I didn't care. She could look all she wanted. Though, she took her dear, sweet time gathering up Alice's order.

From the items she set out in front of us, I could see Alice had been busy while we'd been on the boat. It looked like she was redecorating one of the rooms on Isle Esme. I would've bet it was Archie and Caroline's room.

"More like..._added_ a room, sweet girl," Edward told me, his brow furrowing as he tried to ignore the thoughts of the clerk. "They had the time once everyone else flew in."

"Oh, that's cool," I said with a grin, kissing his lips. _If she's bothering you that much, I can say something..._

"Don't you dare," he growled playfully. "I just want done and out."

Giggling, I kissed him again. "Fine, fine...then pay, baby."

Once his signature graced the sales receipt, we gathered up two boxes and a couple of bags. It looked like decorative items – candles, pictures, soft material that could've been curtains. But the thought of Alice brought on the need to see the rest of them. I wanted to know how the storing of our things had gone, the closing up of the Varner house, and how Kevin and Adrian did on the flight over, though by now, the two were doing really well around humans.

We meandered through the streets back toward the docks. We boarded quickly, hearing a scuffle down below deck. Slamming my shield around the entire boat, I watched as a struggling Caroline came to a standstill. She sagged in relief, gazing up at me with weary red eyes.

"Thanks," she murmured, glancing over to Carlisle and Archie, who had been holding her back. "Sorry..."

"Dock worker?" Edward asked gently. When she nodded, he smiled softly. "It's okay. That's why we're here. To work through this with you. Once we're on the island, you'll finally really be able to relax. Okay?"

"'Kay. Thanks, Edward...Bella," she sighed, nodding once again.

"Let's get out of here, yeah?" Carlisle asked with a gentle and encouraging pat to her shoulder. "I'm tired of looking at you people."

We all laughed, and Edward rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, _Dad_? At least you aren't _hearing_ them. Mm'kay?" he growled, playfully shoving our father. "Like I need to know what color boxers you decide to wear every damn day."

Esme, Caroline, and I collapsed into hysterics, and Archie chuckled. Carlisle, however, darted after a laughing Edward up and out of the galley and onto the bow. I could hear their lighthearted laughter as they untied the lines, started the engine, and pulled up anchor.

The short trip from the mainland to the island never took long, especially if Edward was driving the boat, but I could see that this was a learned behavior, since Carlisle was skimming us across the waves with lightning-quick precision.

Isle Esme was aglow in the distance, and no matter how many times we'd visited, the same feelings always overtook me as we got closer. The memories of first seeing this place were almost crushing. I'd been excited to have Edward all to myself, nervous that we were finally married, but the most palpable emotions were peace and ease.

There was something about the island that just relaxed us all. We'd all mentioned it at one point or another. It was a self-contained oasis for us. We didn't need to leave if we didn't want to, though with this many of us, we'd have to at some point. It was large, covered in natural, thick jungles and small mountains, with its own small ecosystem. No humans approached unless needed or requested, so there was no possibility of ever being discovered. It was _Treasure Island_, _Nim's Island_, and _Lord of the Flies_, all adventure and beauty, but it was also _The Blue Lagoon_, a representation of love and sensual, warm breezes that caressed sparkling, heated skin, and secret hidden corners of perfection like _Journey to the Center of the Earth_. It had everything, including the ability to make time become insignificant.

Isle Esme was heaven – plain and simple. And no matter how many times we came, whether it was just Edward and me – and now with the entire family – or how many places we traveled, it would always be one of my most favorite places on Earth.

Warm, strong arms braced themselves on either side of me against the boat's railing as the island's dock drew closer, wrapping me in a cocoon of masculine muscle and the scent that overrode the smell of sea air. Edward dropped his chin down onto my shoulder, sighing in relief or contentment. I wasn't sure which. Probably both.

"We may be here awhile, love," Edward reminded me softly in my ear as he nuzzled my skin. I rolled my eyes, which made him chuckle. "I was just reminding you, _dear_," he said sarcastically, the laughter still rumbling against my back.

Giggling, I turned in his arms and pulled him to me by the loops on his jeans. His eyes were heat and carnal want swirling together, all stormy and electrified. There was a tension that was humming just beneath the surface of his skin as he gazed down, leaning into me. And the crackling current that surrounded us kicked up a little because in the distance – and too far for it to come near us, unfortunately – a storm raged. The scent of sand, salt water, and damp air reminded me of our first storm here.

"I love it here, Edward," I told him, kissing his chin. "There are no rules on this island."

He smiled crookedly and nodded, caressing my face with the backs of his fingers, his thumb dragging over my bottom lip. "True. If there were, I'm sure we broke them a long time ago."

"Hmm, indeed," I hummed against his lips. I glanced over my shoulder to see the family coming out to welcome us on the dock, but I turned back to my sweet husband. "Edward, I'm doing my best to not let memories bowl me over, but if you keep looking at me like that, touching me like this," I said with a chuckle as I felt him getting harder against my belly, "then all bets are off, handsome. I can't resist this face. Not here. Not with what we've shared here. That's asking too much."

Edward's face morphed from smug and sexy to pained and weary. "My mind needs a rest, Bella. I need just you – quiet and perfect and the balm to it all."

Smiling sadly, I nodded. "Okay, baby. Soon. And you can steal me away at the first opportunity," I soothed him, running my fingers through his windblown hair, as if I could calm the mind underneath it.

It was so very rare for him admit that, but I could see why that was true. It had been a rough six and a half months – almost seven. And it had all started in the Varner house. Archie's haunting mind, his horrid story, Edward's constant watching over us, and now Caroline. Through it all, Edward had been steadfast with his guarding over us, protecting us, nurturing us, even though a few times, he thought he was going crazy. My Edward needed a break. He didn't want to hear thoughts if he didn't have to, and here, he could get away with it. Here, Caroline was free to roam, Archie was beyond repaired from his time back in Maine, and here, everyone would be able to breathe a sigh of relief – if only temporarily.

Placing my hands on either side of his handsome, sweet face, I raised an eyebrow at him. "Promise me something."

He huffed a light laugh through his nose, the smile unable to be contained. "Anything, sweet girl. You know that."

"Mmhm, I do," I hummed, maintaining his gaze as I shielded my thoughts. "Promise me that if you need my shield, you'll ask. There's no danger here, we're always forewarned when humans dock, and everyone can help with Caroline. Promise me that if you need to get away from it, you'll say the word. You've done so much for all of us these last few months, baby. You deserve more than just...one night of silence."

The boat lurched a little when Carlisle edged it toward the dock, but I gripped Edward's face, squishing it until his lips were all pooched out.

"Promise me...before we get off this boat," I said with a laugh just because he rolled his eyes, and it only added to his silly face at the moment.

"Pwomish," he sputtered, which made me giggle.

"Good!" I beamed, kissed his puffed out lips, and let go of his face.

He paused for one small beat in time, his eyes dark but so, so warm, whispering, "Thank you, Bella." He dropped a reverent kiss to my forehead as I nodded slightly against his lips.

The reunion of our family was loud and happy. And pure chaos. Those of us coming off the boat were jerked in several different directions, hugged, kissed, and welcomed. It didn't feel like we'd had an emergency move; it simply felt like we were all on vacation together. Emmett and Kevin exchanged money, and I overheard them say that they'd bet whether Caroline would destroy the boat. Although with their conversation with Edward, I was pretty sure that wasn't the only bet, because Edward had murmured, "No, not yet. And don't bug him!"

Jasper fed off the happy feelings of being back together as a family, and he pushed it right back out in a circular fashion. Alice was a hyper, bouncing mess, and Rose was calm, looking relieved at the sight of us. In fact, she and Adrian wore the same expression as we hugged.

The house was just as beautiful as I remembered it – open, breezy, freeing – though Alice and Jasper were quite proud of the new addition.

Archie and Caroline's room was...different. Alice, using her gift of foresight, created an oasis for them. It was calm, open, soothing. At first glance, though, there was no bed like the rest of the bedrooms. There was a small sitting area, blowing gauzy curtains that framed open French doors, and a closet, along with a few small tables, some lamps, and a long dresser. However, the wall unit that took up one long wall was deceiving. It was a Murphy bed, I noted as Alice tugged it down to reveal fluffy bedding that covered a queen-sized bed.

"Not yet," she whispered with a wink before tucking it back up against the wall. "Soon, though."

Edward barked a laugh but shook his head and said nothing more as he passed us by in the hallway to drop our bags off in our room.

But I saw it for what it was: Alice's way of taking just a touch of the nerves away from Caroline and Archie. She'd taken away the in-your-face, blatant sexual tension that a bed could bring to a room to be occupied by creatures that didn't sleep. I kissed her spiky head and hugged her because I could see by the look on her face that she felt a little guilty about Caroline's car accident. She was doing this as a good deed.

Once everyone had been given a tour, the boat had been unloaded, and Caroline had been taken to stretch her legs and hunt, we all gathered in the living room. I fell down onto the sofa between Kevin and Rose, and Edward sat at my feet with his back against my legs. We quickly discussed how the packing of the Varner house had gone, which was fine. All of our main possessions were now in storage in Bangor, Maine. They'd stay there until we either returned to the States or decided where they needed to be shipped. Something about that made me sad, until I realized it was Edward's piano that I'd miss most.

Carlisle smiled at us all, and I noted that even though he looked windblown and ruffled, he seemed younger in his khaki shorts and navy blue polo shirt. However, he still held our respect, and we quieted, waiting for him to speak.

He shoved his hands into his front pockets, studying the floor. Edward relaxed infinitesimally, even more when my fingers raked slowly and softly through his hair as he leaned his head back into my lap.

"There is no time limit here," Carlisle started, giving the room a long gaze. "We can completely seal ourselves off from the human world here and just...exist. That being said, I'm not sure that's what everyone wants to do. This island is only so big." He grinned when we chuckled at him. He turned his attention to Caroline. "Caroline, I'd like to take this opportunity to let you know that this is the perfect place for you to learn, grow, settle into this life. As you get more in control, more in-tune with your body and your abilities, we'll start to expand past the shores, but for now, you can consider this island your open hunting grounds, your training facility, and your temporary home. We are all at your disposal should you need anything."

Caroline smiled softly as Emmett ruffled her hair. "Thanks, Carlisle."

He nodded in acknowledgment of her thanks, but his eyes fell onto his next subject. "Archie, I've never seen anyone in this life that has been through the things you have, and not only overcome them, but conquered them completely. I know that leaving Maine was an enormous step for you, and I know you're worried about what the future may bring, but please know that you're a member of this family as long as you wish to be, that we're here for you no matter what you choose to do."

Archie nodded nervously, and Caroline smiled at him, linking their fingers together.

Carlisle's warm gaze on them lingered for a moment, but his eyes swept over the room. "As for the rest of you," he said wryly, making Edward smirk, but his eyes stayed closed as my fingers never stopped playing with his hair. "If it's at all possible, try to keep your hunting to the mainland. We don't want to completely deplete what's here for Caroline. I know that we have some decisions to make, but there's no rush at the moment. Where we go, whether it's as a family or separate, is up to all of us."

Carlisle started to pace a little, his hands still in his pockets. "There are too many of us now, but I can't bring myself to part with my family, and I consider every last one of you mine," he said, and Edward's head shot up to stare at him. "What used to work won't cut it anymore. I know that. Usually, we'd start over somewhere that could accommodate the adopted children story, but..."

"We're bigger than the Brady Bunch," Emmett finished with a chuckle.

Carlisle grinned. "Exactly. Our natural defense will push humans away, but with this many, I'm not so sure that they'll accept the lies we blend together. If that's the case, then we have no alternative but to live separately." When protestations started to rumble around the room, he held up his hand. "Look, I'm open to suggestions from any of you at this point, so take your time, think about how this could work, and let me know. When the time is right, we'll all sit down as a family, lay out all those suggestions, and come up with a decision. But we _must_ be in agreement." Carlisle's warm, honey eyes surveyed the room silently, only to fall to Edward's momentarily. With a deep sigh, he smiled sadly. "Until then, I'm happy we're all safe and back together. For those of you who are here for the first time, welcome, and please, make yourself at home."

He held his hand out, and Esme got up from her seat next to him and took it. They disappeared out the back door without looking back.

"The thought of separating is killing him," Kevin noted in a soft tone, his eyes sad.

"Yes," Edward agreed with a nod, standing up and offering me his hand. "All he wanted from his human life was a big family. He's now got it, and he's afraid to lose it. New or old members, he merely wants to live quietly and in peace with us."

"But the call to do what he does, to be a doctor," Adrian started, frowning a little. "He can't stop that. It's a part of who he is. It's what makes him...well, Carlisle."

Edward smiled. "Yes, there's that, too."

"Marcus is worried," Alice stated softly. "We'll be a spectacle with so many. And no, school won't work. Well, it won't work the old way, anyway."

"We'll come up with something," Jasper vowed, but I could see that he was already running several options through his mind because his eyes were glazed over and locked onto nothing in particular across the room.

However, the squeeze of Edward's hand and his brief wince that only I would notice made me say, "Of course we will, but until then, I want to see this island again. Come, Edward."

My command made Edward chuckle, along with a few others, but he simply said, "Yes, ma'am."

Jasper started to protest, but Alice simply put a hand on his forearm and shook her head. I knew we'd just gotten here, and I knew that our siblings had missed us, but I wanted to give Edward the silence he wanted, the mental space he deserved, starting immediately. And it seemed Alice saw that as she shot a wink my way.

"Hey, Ed!" Jasper called, and we turned to watch him run across to a door. "Before you go, come look."

Emmett and Kevin jumped up, both wearing smiles, but Edward looked confused.

"Why are you all singing that same damn song?" he asked them with a laugh.

"Shut up, bro, and come here," Emmett chortled and waved him over. "You, too, Bells."

They pushed open the door to the second sitting room, and a smile curled my lips. Glancing up at Edward, I could tell he didn't know what to say.

"It's not the baby grand, but we knew you'd go crazy without music, so..." Kevin gushed, patting Edward's shoulder.

The boys had set up a small music area in the room with the most windows. Edward's big beautiful piano was missing, of course, but in its place were his keyboards. Next to them was the the bare minimum of Emmett's drums, and mounted on stands were a handful of the most used guitars, aside from Edward's personal favorite and oldest, which was currently in our bedroom in its case. But the one I'd bought him, the blue one from New York, and a few others were waiting patiently for the boys to pick them up and play with them, not to mention two of the smaller amps that they'd need.

A little giggle escaped me at the faces of Kevin, Jasper, and Emmett. They were so proud of what they'd done. But I knew for a fact that they loved playing with Edward. They'd done this for themselves just as much as they'd given their brother a gift.

Edward's head shook one time, back and forth, but his smile was filled with warmth as he took in the room. "That's..." He huffed a laugh. "Perfect," he finished with a single nod. "Thank you."

"Hells, yeah!" Emmett gushed. "And when you get back, we'll work on that blues song we started."

"Definitely," Edward vowed with a grin, but his hand slipped back into mine, bringing it up to his lips to kiss the back of it. "Come, love. Walk with me."

I mouthed a thank you to Jasper, who shot me a wink. But as soon as a wee morning breeze caressed our skin, I looked up at Edward. "Ready?" I asked him.

He nodded, smiling down at me.

"Good," I growled, pushing off him. "Race you there!"

His chuckle faded for a second but then slowly caught up to me. "You shouldn't have done that, Bella..."

I ran up the beach, suddenly darting to my left into the jungle. Long gone were any scents from the last time we'd taken this path, but I knew the way perfectly. Morning was dawning slowly, not that I needed the light, but it did add to the colors of the opening of the cave. Stopping at the mouth, I gazed up at the sparkle, the sharp points of the giant geode. It was black rock embedded with the deepest of purple crystals.

My fingers skimmed lightly over the keen tips of the crystals sticking out of the wall. The whole entryway looked like an enormous jewel – something old-fashioned and almost gaudy. But at the same time, it was beautiful in its intricacy. Edward appeared behind me, his hand joining mine, skimming over crystals.

"Why didn't we come out here the last time we were on the island?" I asked, though I didn't really expect an answer.

Edward chuckled deeply. "Because we barely left our room, love."

I grinned, turning to kiss his cheek. "Yeah...that was good stuff!"

His face took on a smug expression, but his brow furrowed for a moment as he concentrated on the wall in front of him. With a swift jerk, he pulled a large crystal from the wall about the size of a plastic cigarette lighter.

"Here, sweet girl. Hold onto that," he told me, and I took it from him, holding it up to the barely-there sunrise. "Cut just right, it could be set in something. I mean, it's quartz, not worth much, but you could take a piece of this place with you."

My eyebrows shot up. Normally, the only jewelry I wore on a continuous basis was my wedding ring, but that sounded pretty...and so very sweet and sentimental, just like my Edward. I just couldn't fathom what type of jewelry, though.

"Anything you want," he vowed, wearing a small smile. "We'll take it with us onto the mainland. Make it into anything...your choice."

Grinning, I bit my bottom lip. "And what if I like it just the way it is?"

Smiling, he kissed my temple. "Then keep it as-is, Bella. It's up to you."

I tucked the stone into the side pocket of my shorts, and Edward guided me inside the cave. The splash of falling water made me smile, but the glow from the pool beneath it was bluish-green and beautiful. We left our outer clothes against the wall of the cave, diving into the water at the same time. We raced, wrestled, and tickled our way through the narrow passage that led us through the thick stone and up into the other side of the pool.

Absolutely nothing had changed in that strange little untouched bubble of nature. It was mossy, green, and just barely lit by the rising sun. Edward gripped my waist and hoisted me up onto the side, but my gaze lingered on everything as I climbed out of the water adjusting my swimsuit. The wall with the drawings was still there, if not covered in more vines and flowers. The hole in the rocks above was just as high, allowing enough light in to illuminate everything in a soft, warm glow. Finally, my eyes fell to the moss covered boulders off to the side, and memories flooded me unexpectedly.

Not even the air around us had come between our bodies the last time we were in that cave. I remembered the dry sob that had escaped me, proclaiming that I never knew I could love someone _so much_. Edward's only answer had been that I was simply his everything.

"That's still true..." he said softly behind me, pulling be back to his chest.

"I'm sorry. I promised you mental silence, didn't I?" I said with a chuckle.

His grin was sweet when he turned me to face him. "Not from yours. Never, ever from yours."

"Come here," I said, tugging him by the hand. I sat down against the rock, patting the space between my legs. "Sit, Edward. I'll give you just my mind, if that's the way you feel."

Edward lounged back against me, our still wet skin slipping together, but his head rested back against my shoulder. Wrapping my arms around him and my shield around the both of us, I smiled against his wet hair when a pure, relieved sigh escaped him. His whole body physically shuddered against mine. I kissed his jaw that flexed once under my lips, and he picked up my hand to turn my ring.

Kissing the tip of each finger, he said, "Before you, sweet girl, I'd have to run to the most remote places to find this kind of silence."

I smiled at the amusement in his tone. "Yeah? Polar bears don't think?"

He chuckled. "No, not really. Neither do penguins. Monkeys, on the other hand..."

Giggling, I hugged him closer. "Well, they are the most human-like. That would make sense."

"Yeah, I've never hunted them. It's a little disturbing that I get flashes of thought from them," he admitted with a shrug of one strong shoulder. "They scare Emmett."

"The faces?"

"Yeah," he guffawed, shaking his head.

"Where would you go?" I asked him softly.

Edward was quiet for a moment. "Alaska worked. At least for an hour or two. Tanya never could leave me alone for too long."

He rubbed my hand, but I said nothing. Tanya, as much as I'd hated her back when I'd first met her, was a long, sad story of loneliness and mental instability.

"The Alps were nice," he went on, ignoring my mental musings. "The Sahara wasn't. It was empty, yes, but it was rather frightening to be _that_ alone." He sighed, leaning into my kisses to his cheek. "Swimming worked no matter where we were. I would swim as far out as I could, and there would be...nothing. I just wanted to shut them all out, if only for a moment," he murmured.

He kissed my wedding ring at the same time my other hand trailed over the slight dusting of his chest hair.

"Then you came along, and even as a human, you had a tendency to make me forget everything else," he said with a snicker.

"See? I'm the arctic, the desert, and the ocean...all right here," I teased him. "If you'd let me block myself, you'd have complete and total freedom."

"No." He shook his head. "This is better. I don't want..._freedom_, Bella. Those places worked briefly, but they only proved to remind me that it was just...me."

My brow furrowed at the sound of his gratefulness, his utter hatred of being alone. "Not anymore," I vowed against his damp hair as I wrapped not only my arms around him, but my legs, too.

We were quiet, fingertips skimming over skin. Only the sound of our breathing echoed in the cave. The sun rose just a touch higher before Edward spoke again.

"Beautiful girl, I need to see your face," he stated, though it sounded like pleading.

With quick, graceful shifting, I extricated myself from behind him, and then he slid back and opened his arms to me. Straddling his thighs, I smiled at how the simple few moments without everyone's mind bearing down on him had changed his facial expression. Gone was the slight pinch at the corners of his eyes. The tension in his sharp jaw was no longer there. And I kissed where the slight dip in his brow had been before we'd left the house.

"Much better," he sighed, and whether he was answering my observations or whether he was just happy to see my face, I didn't know. He grinned. "Both."

I couldn't help but reach out and touch. His hair was slightly drier as I raked my fingers through it. Warm, darkening honey eyes stayed locked onto my face as I fussed over him.

"What?" I asked, giggling a little.

"I love you. And I've missed this," he whispered, his brow wrinkling a little. "Time with you. Just you."

Nodding, I understood. "You want to separate next time, don't you? From the family, I mean."

His head dropped back to the mossy rock behind him as he studied me from beneath his long, beautiful eyelashes. Fingertips glided down my spine, over my shoulders, up my thighs in a continuous circuit. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as his eyes focused more on the little ties at the side of my swimsuit bottoms than anywhere else.

"I don't know," he stated, sounding honest, yet a little unnerved. "It's been a long few months, love. Caroline's newborn state is just as hard as when we discovered Archie. My first and most selfish thought is to say yes. I want what we had in London – our own place, our own bubble, our own refuge."

"But Carlisle..."

"Needs me...and you. It's a parental thing at this point for him."

"And Esme?"

He huffed a humorless laugh. "She'd be...so sad." He locked gazes with me. "I don't have an answer. Not right now."

I leaned closer to him, pressing my lips to his. "Maybe he knows that," I whispered against his mouth. "Maybe he knows we need time to...I don't know...decompress. And that's why he said for all of us to take our time."

Edward nodded, neither confirming, nor denying my theory. His eyes darkened as his fingers never stopped. He'd toy with the ties of my black swimsuit, follow their path around my ribs, up my chest, then switch to my bottoms, around my waist and across my hips. My body started to react all on its own, and my breathing deepened. I could feel him growing hard against his board shorts. It was when his touch skimmed around his immortal mark on me that I finally broke the silence around us.

"Edward..."

His eyes snapped to mine, and his cock twitched hard against me. "What does that feel like?" he asked, his voice a touch husky and deep. "This, baby..." Once more, his finger trailed around his bite mark over my still heart, and he tilted his head as he listened to my voice, my mind, my body.

I was damned certain I'd told him before, if he hadn't discovered my reactions all on his own, but he looked like he was playing just a bit stupid at the moment. On purpose.

The side of his mouth quirked up just a little at my thoughts, but he looked like the devil himself as he waited patiently, touched lightly, tilted his head the other way.

"Like cold fire," I told him through gritted teeth, glancing down to watch him do it again. The sensation zinged through me, stretching electric fingers across my chest, down into my stomach, and lower...much lower. "It feels...like an ache, but amazing. It's as close to feeling like the first time you really touched me..."

His eyes shot up to my face, and gone was the warm honey in his eyes. Black had overtaken every bit of color. He knew what I was talking about. It was the first night he'd come back to me that I'd stayed in the Cullen home. It was the first time he'd truly seen me bare for him and made me come with just his cool touch against my heated, human skin. As his finger circled around his bite again, I felt it between my legs just like I had then.

My hips rolled of their own accord, and my nipples peaked to aching points behind my swimsuit top – even the soft material was rubbing against them. But it wasn't enough. Nothing would be enough until he truly touched me.

"Edward, please..." I begged, shifting forward to satiate the throbbing between my legs. I grasped his face, kissing him with all I had.

His palm flattened over my scar, and I whimpered into his mouth as my hips ground down over him. Slipping his hand into my hair, he kissed me back. Hard. Sitting up, he gripped my hair harder, placing another hand in the middle of my back.

Breaking away from our kiss with a rumbling growl, his eyes locked with mine as he bent me back just a little, arching me back. "How about this?" he rasped, his eyes never leaving mine as his tongue flattened over his scar, his mark.

"Ungh!" I cried out, my fingers digging into his shoulder, hair, whatever I could grasp onto at the moment.

His finger was one thing, but his mouth was something completely different. It was if my skin remembered his tongue, his teeth, his venom. My breathing stopped altogether, as did my own sense of self-control.

"Hmm," he hummed against the top of my breast. "I wonder... Could you come for me like that, my gorgeous girl?" he asked, his voice silken and deadly. "I bet you can... I bet you'll come so hard. Just like you did the first time I touched you..."

As if my body had heard his command, I pressed down harder against his hard cock. I was seeking friction. I was swollen, leaking, and needy, and I throbbed hard against him. The ache was too much, and his mouth on my scar wasn't helping. He also was making no other move to touch me anywhere else.

Without even thinking, my own hand slipped beneath the edge of my swimsuit bottoms. The growling purr that Edward let loose vibrated around me, but his mouth descended over my scar, engulfing it in lips, tongue, and just a slight graze of teeth. The sound of just how wet I was surrounded us as I worked feverishly over my clit, my hand just barely brushing against his hard cock. I was so close already that just a few brushes across the most swollen and sensitive part of my body caused me to unravel right there in Edward's arms.

My fingers were still inside my bottoms, but I felt him grow harder and twitch one time against me, despite the two layers of damp fabric between us. I felt the tug on the ties of my top and felt myself being deposited onto my back into the soft, mossy floor of the cave, but it was Edward's sudden low growl that brought me back through the haze of my orgasm.

"Fuck, baby..." he groaned, tugging my bottoms down and off my legs. "You're so wet, I can taste it in the air..." His last statement came out mumbled, almost to himself as he braced over me. As if to torture me some more, his lips skimmed across my scar one more time, but he stopped. "Not torture, sweet girl... I just want to make sure your body knows to whom it belongs..."

I couldn't answer him, because his possessive remark was just one more thing to make the need kick up a notch. Besides, it wasn't exactly a secret that he owned me. Edward could make my body sing – better than any instrument.

Again, his mouth quirked up into a wicked, carnal half-smile. "Let's test that theory, shall we, love?" he asked smoothly, reaching down to pick up my leg. "'Cause I fucking _love_ to hear you sing for me..."

I wanted to laugh that he was using my thoughts against me, but I couldn't. His teasing started anew, only this time, he was giving my ankles, knees, and inner thighs every bit of his attention. It seemed all my Edwards had come out to play – or maybe they'd been hiding in this secret cave. I wasn't quite sure, and I was in no state to think about it. But the firm grip of his hand was Possessive Edward, the tease of his tongue just outside my lower lips was Dirty Edward, and the gentle, yet forceful way he was holding me down was all Dominate Edward. But it was the dark-eyed, ever-watchful gaze traveling all over me, assessing me that let me know that Sweet Edward was always, always right there.

I felt his smile against my hip bone, but he merely dragged his tongue over my navel, his nose over my mound, and grazed his lips long the crease of my thigh.

"You know, my love..." he started, but then paused long enough to open my legs wider and lick me from one end to the other, making sure to swirl the tip of his tongue around my clit once, twice, three times. "Did you know that even when you come with your own hand...those orgasms are _mine_? All of them. They belong to me."

Flowers and moss disintegrated under my gripping hands as he licked again, not bothering to wait for my answer. Not that I could say much more than a nonsensical grunt. A green, earthy scent met my nose as I gripped again, only to give up, shake away my fistfuls of ground cover, and make my purchase in his hair.

Edward was moving too slow, his tongue languid and wet against my center. Gripping him harder, I wanted to grind against him as I chased my next orgasm.

Again, I felt another smile against me, and warm breath from his mouth gushed across my heated core. "Then open wider for me, Bella, and do it... Fuck my face..."

I didn't have to be told twice. My hips rolled hard against his mouth as he licked, sucked, nipped, causing a growl of satisfaction to erupt out of me at finally getting the friction, the feel that I needed. His hands gave up holding me down, slipping under my legs and up to my breasts, palming, squeezing, pinching.

Not able to articulate what I needed, or even if I knew what I needed, only his name came from my mouth. My head fell back, and I continued to grip his hair while my other hand sought out something else. A large, warm, gentle hand engulfed mine, linking our fingers together. The contradiction that was my Edward growled low and feral against my core, but his thumb made soothing circles on the skin of my hand, and I shattered into a million pieces.

Edward gave my clit one more kiss before looming up over me. His long fingers swiped at his mouth in the most un-Edward like gesture I'd ever seen, slinging the moisture away before his mouth descended upon mine. Something about that drove me absolutely wild, and I accepted his kisses hungrily. It was masculine, yet crass, the latter of which my Edward never was. But it also meant that my arousal covered him. I could smell it on his skin, taste it on his tongue.

My hands flew to his shorts, tugging open the button and fly. He'd never changed out of the khaki cargos that he'd worn in Rio, so they slipped easily down his legs, and he kicked out of them, only to settle back down between my legs.

"That's two, Bella," he pointed out, his forehead dropping down to mine as he braced over me.

He was strength and possession, predator and protector, love and want all rolled into one beautiful, angelic creature. My hands had to touch him, slip up his chest, over his shoulder, and around to the back of his neck to pull and tug him closer.

"I want another from you," he stated, almost sounding harsh, but he softened it all with a sweet sweep of his lips across my own. "I can't... I'm... Not gentle, baby," he stammered, begging me with his eyes to understand when he suddenly sheathed himself fully inside of me.

"Oh fuck... Yes!" I hissed, my head pressing back into the moss beneath me.

"Sweet Jesus," he groaned, his eyes squeezing shut as he drove into me.

Every sensation that my mind registered, he countered it again and again. He buried his face into my neck, whispering about how good I felt, how tight I was, and how nothing was as good as this. My shield wavered around us, but I couldn't help but grip him with it and my hands, which caused the most delicious string of curses to push out into my ear.

"So good, so good, fuck..." he panted, growling low when my hands gripped his ass, but my shield pressed down on his back. "Goddamn...that feels like... Shit, baby..."

Had I been more coherent, I would've known what he was trying to say, and I might've laughed. But any humor I might've found evaporated with the next swiveling thrusts he gave me. I knew it felt like more than just one pair of hands on him, but as it was, I needed to see this unhinged Edward come. Soon. And hard.

All that I had raked down his strong, flexing, sloped back, my legs wrapped around his hips, and my voice urged him to come, because there was no way in hell I was able to hold my shield around us much longer.

"Edward...baby, I can't..." I sobbed, gazing up at him. "Please... You have to come..."

"Okay, okay...it's okay," he chanted in a whisper against my lips, but his teeth dragged across my bottom lip. "Let it all go. But I need one more from you." As he said that, his hand slipped beneath my ass, lifting me up just enough so that he hit me just right.

There was no holding back. Everything inside of me let go, my shield included. All I could hope for was that we were far enough away from everyone that it wasn't such a shock to his mind.

"That's my girl," he crooned, but his rhythm faltered, his breathing stopped, and with a few more thrusts, he came hard. His braced stance over me failed him, and he fell to his elbows instead. "Shh, love," he whispered breathlessly against my lips as my whole body was wracked with an earth-shattering shiver.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I chanted, feeling his smile as he brushed my hair from my face. "I couldn't hold it... Hell, I don't think I can get it back."

He snickered softly. "Shush, sweet girl. It's all right."

It was then that I chanced a look at his face. The dark mask of need was gone, and in its place was smug but very happy and sated.

I groaned. "You wanted to _fuck_ the shield out of me, Edward?"

He cracked up, burying it into my neck as he rolled us to our sides. "No, not _specifically_," he said slowly. "But I so love when you lose control, baby. It's been too long since we could..."

Smiling, I cupped his face. "True. This...right here. This is my new favorite place."

"Mine, too." He nodded, kissing me sweetly. "You're right, love."

"Mm," I hummed against his chin as I pushed him onto his back and crawled on top of him. "About what?"

His brow furrowed a little, but he hugged me close. "You are my arctic, my desert, and my ocean...all in one very beautiful, very sweet package."

I smiled down at him, tracing his handsome features – heavy brows, strong nose, soft lips. "Good. Then, as those things, I get to keep you right here for a bit, yeah?"

He grinned, all sweet and sated. "Oh, yes, ma'am. I can't imagine where else we need to be, Bella."

* * *

**A/N... See? Emotional take on things. LOL It happens with these two with me. I can't help it. And it bled over to Carlisle, it seemed. If you can't tell, the end is truly near, which will mean the answer to their living situation.**

**As I write these notes (which is usually the day before posting), I'm an emotional mess. The last regular chapter is finished, and I'm about to push it off to Jenny and my pre-readers. I tend to get that way around the end of fics.**

**Before you ask...and you have asked. Repeatedly. I have no idea if there will be another Angelward. I also am not sure what's next, except for a mental break. I know you've asked for more Mercward, and some of you have requested that Jenny and I attempt something again. I know! And as much as I'd like to give you a straight answer, the truth is...my brain is tired. I need a few weeks of recoup time. Okay? There are things I need to consider, research I need to read up on, and ideas I'd like to fiddle around with. I'm not going anywhere. ;)**

**It also seems that I'm finishing this at the right time. Things on this website are a little sketchy, so always know if something happens, there's always my blog, which the link can be found on my profile. You can reach me on Twitter (drotuno) and on Facebook (Deb Drotuno Rotuno)... so never, ever panic. ;)**

**No songs added to the playlist this time, but I more than make up for it next chapter.**

**Okay, so the next posting will be Wednesday, which means if all goes well, the last chapter will be the next Sunday. I save all my sentimental drivel for then. LOL ;) Until next time... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N... Yeah...I know. :( It's the last regular chapter. I start these fics thinking it'll take _forever_ to get to this point, but then...all of a sudden, it's over. This has been my favorite Angelward to write. It's been a rollercoaster of emotions but so much fun. I know that some writers take sequels and put Edward and Bella through hell and back, but I couldn't see doing that. I wanted their connection to stay strong and true while showing all the things that went on around them. That's it. And I hope I achieved that. However, along the way, I fell in love with a shy vamp named Archie. :)**

**I know the biggest concern is... Will they stay together? Will they all have to separate? I believe I tried to solve that situation here. And yeah, I took some fictional liberties. There's a touch of LEMON WARNING to this, but I think there may be a TISSUE WARNING as well, simply because one of my pre-readers said she got a little weepy. Also, since the last chapter was all in Bella's POV...I couldn't resist giving the ending all to Edward. ;)**

**Time eases forward a bit here, so watch that, but see me at the bottom when you're done... Anyway, have at it...**

* * *

Chapter 40

**EDWARD**

My fingers skimmed lightly over the keys, Beethoven wafting out of the speakers. I wrinkled my nose a little. The keyboards weren't the same as my baby grand, but beggars couldn't be choosers at this point in time. My mind was fairly relaxed, but it had been that way since the first night we'd arrived on the island a little over a month ago. Bella had shielded me from everyone's minds for almost two days solid, and I'd been better ever since.

The house was a constant influx of activity. Someone was always busy doing something. Jasper was determined to give our parents what they wanted – a chance for all of us to stay together – so he was constantly researching, scanning the internet, and jotting things down in a notebook. There were games being played at all hours, whether at the table or on the Xbox. If it wasn't games, it was music.

Caroline was learning to control who and what she was with the help of everyone around her. She was a pretty independent thing, but she wasn't afraid to ask questions. However, she was absolutely determined to get her newborn strength and temper under control. Apparently, sex was an incredible motivator...not that Archie would discuss it.

Archie had fallen in love with hunting on the mainland. He liked the big game, the endless jungles, and the freedom of it. With his invisibility, he was a hunting master. But it was his way of giving himself space from Caroline's constant barrage of lust. She'd lost control once with Archie during a rather heated make-out session, proving Bella's theory. Carlisle had spent the rest of that night reattaching his arm at the elbow. Caroline had been almost inconsolable, despite Archie's reassurances. Carlisle and I decided if those two didn't do something soon, they'd kill each other out of pure and simple frustration. My brothers, on the other hand, were constantly betting on the hows, whens, and wheres. Alice stayed out of it because she knew, but she'd kept it from me, as well.

Kevin and Adrian truly loved the island and Brazil. They'd disappear for days at a time, opting to sight-see alone, but sometimes, Bella and I would join them. Other times, it was Carlisle and Esme.

At the moment, the house was quiet. Sort of. Though, nothing was ever _truly_ quiet around here. Whether we could hear everything or I could see it in their minds, nothing was ever purely silent.

Emmett, Rose, Jasper, and Alice were all on the mainland. They'd needed to hunt, but they were taking in the city's nightlife at the same time. Alice was also doing me a favor. Carlisle and Esme were off exploring the island, and Kevin and Adrian were down on the beach.

Which left Caroline, Archie, and Bella in the house with me. My sweet girl was currently in our room reading. Occasionally, I'd catch glimpses of words and passages, her mind theater creating a movie-like quality to her imagination. She'd lose herself completely in the written word. She was reading something current, which was rare, but it was a love story. Well, it _seemed_ like a love story. Personally, the main guy sounded like an ass to me, but I simply shrugged and moved on to Chopin, preferring the classics in both music and literature, it seemed.

Archie and Caroline were in their room and...busy. I wanted to groan, call Bella to come shield me, but before things went to far, Archie called a halt to things.

Caroline said nothing, feeling more than a touch rejected, and she got up, slammed the bedroom door, and walked out toward the beach. She hadn't expected something more, but her hopes had been crushed at any rate. Her intent was to be alone, but she saw Adrian and Kevin, who were waving her over. She declined them, but they kept her company on her walk anyway.

The sound of a book slamming down onto the wooden surface of a table made me jump, and Bella's mind was a mixture of sadness and frustration.

_He's chipping away at her self-esteem._

Part of me thought that she was about to go to him and that I needed to warn him, but another decided to let things play out. My girl imagined slamming his door open and tearing him a new one. That thought made me grin because as docile as those two normally were, their talents were interesting. The thought of a fight between them – even in play – sounded intriguing.

However, she didn't. In the end, she left him alone.

Archie slumped down in his chair, glaring out over the beach through the open windows. He could live with the fear of not knowing what he was really doing, and he was just about past the marriage thing, but the thought of no privacy was driving him crazy. He knew Caroline would never judge him on anything, but the mere thought that he could mess up with so many of us listening was just about to drive him mad.

As her newest siblings, Bella was tired of the fussing, fighting, and tension. She felt just awful that some members of the family were betting on this situation, which she absolutely _refused_ to participate in, and she had assumed things between Archie and Caroline would work itself out naturally. However, she was discovering that Archie's self-control was just this side of OCD – immortal OCD, which meant it was nearly unbreakable. He was viciously tenacious, holding out for whatever list of reasons.

"Bella," I called her, smiling at the sweet sound of her feet on the hardwood floors.

_He's every bit – if not more – hardheaded as you!_ She scowled, folding her arms across her chest.

I grinned, shaking my head. God, I loved my girl. I loved that she wasn't afraid to speak her mind or put me in my place. It kept us real and even and just...us.

"That's very true. Come here," I requested, patting the bench beside me.

My Bella's heart was breaking a little for them. Slipping my fingers into her hair, I tugged her until I pressed my lips to hers.

"It'll be all right, love," I soothed her, but sweet, worried chocolate eyes gazed up at me, unsure.

_Doesn't he want her? They're mates, Edward! Isn't this something that should come...I don't know...naturally? _Her brow furrowed as she threw those questions at me.

"You know the answer to that, my sweet girl. You, of _all_ people, should understand," I hedged, trying to get her to realize it without alerting Archie to our topic of conversation. It was why she was using thoughts in the first place.

She sighed deeply, laying her head on my shoulder. _Yeah, I know, _she thought forlornly. _You and I were different, though. I was _human_, for Christ's sake. She's an equal, even. And she's heartbroken every time._

I grimaced but dropped a heavy kiss to the top of her head because she was right. There was that factor. I'd often wondered how things would've turned out had she been immortal when I met her, or had she changed when James had bit her. Would we still be as intensely connected? Would I have fallen for her right there on the spot like I had that first day in biology? Would we have mated instantly? Or would I have been just as old-fashioned and stubborn about waiting? I didn't know. I loved how we'd met, how we'd struggled to get to where we were at that moment. It was hard and painful and heartbreaking, but the end result was something I couldn't complain about. Ever.

Archie shuffled in from the hall, standing stock-still in the living room. I could see him through the doorway. Bella lifted her head to watch him.

Laughter and splashes echoed in from the beach, and both Archie and Bella looked to see Kevin and Adrian trying to teach Caroline how to surf. My girl was so shrewd, though. She glanced between Archie and the sight outside, finally smiling a little.

_No privacy_, she thought to herself, but then looked up to me. _That's it, isn't it? He's so used to being alone that he's way too self-conscious about people being here._

I smirked at her. "Yes," I whispered against her brow. "Beautiful _and_ smart. How'd I get so lucky?" I teased her.

She looked so proud at the moment, but then that wicked smile curled up on her lips. _Well, _that's_ easily fixed,_ she huffed, nodding once to herself in confirmation.

She was so damned adorable as different schemes and plots rattled through her mind at mach speed that I couldn't help but chuckle at her and hold her closer. What was even funnier was the chirp from her phone still in our bedroom.

I cracked up, shaking my head.

"Alice," we both said with a laugh.

My girl padded down the hall and went back into our room. Her phone chirped another alert, and I knew that my sister was picking up on every decision my wife was making. Those two worked together better than they gave themselves credit. Through Bella's thoughts, though, I could see that plans for tonight had just completely been changed.

She appeared back in the music room, bypassing Archie, who was still watching his girl with Kevin and Adrian.

"So," I said, sniffing once and waving her to me once more. She scrambled up onto my lap, nuzzling my neck. "Am I to assume we're hitting the mainland tonight?"

I felt her smile against my skin. "Yup."

"Mm," I hummed in acknowledgment, pressing kisses to her cheek. "Good to know, love." I asked my next question loud enough to get Archie's attention. "And am I also to assume that Carlisle, Esme, Kevin, and Adrian are invited?"

Archie's head snapped around to watch us. When I looked up to him, I innocently asked, "Will you be okay on your own for a few hours tonight? Alice wants us to hit a few clubs. It's a shame Caroline's not ready for interacting with humans yet..."

"Um, yeah, that's fine, Edward," he stammered, but his mind launched into a thousand different directions; I could barely narrow in on one particular thought.

Bella grinned against my neck, but she hid it from him completely. _You're extraordinarily sexy right now, Edward. That was smooth...really, really smooth._

I pinched her ass, chuckling when she squeaked.

"Guess we'd better get ready, then," I suggested, rubbing softly where I'd pinched. "You go tell Kevin and Adrian. I'll hunt down Carlisle."

"Alice already texted them. See?" my girl said, pointing out toward the beach where Adrian was scanning through his phone.

"Mm...even better. Shower, then?" I asked, waggling my eyebrows, which caused her to roll her eyes but Archie to snort into a soft laugh.

I stood up, tossing her over my shoulder, where she laughed hysterically and smacked at my ass. Kevin, Adrian, and Caroline all stepped into the house. Kevin was humming a song, pretending to gyrate up against Caroline, who was shoving him away with a giggle.

As I walked us by Archie, I murmured, "She'll need to hunt, Archie..." I shrugged the shoulder that Bella wasn't on, saying, "That'll free up the rest of your night."

Archie's eyebrows raised up high, almost to his hairline. "'Kay."

His mind went blank for a split second but then went right back to what the night could possibly have in store.

~oOo~

As I approached the slightly touristy part of Rio, I had to smile at the thumping, more modern music. It was less about the locals and more about the visitors. Large hotels, a few chain restaurants, and some more recognizable shops surrounded either side of me as I made my way down the busy, crowded sidewalk.

The second we'd docked, I'd received a text from Alice telling me that she hadn't had the chance to run the errand that I'd asked of her. So I separated myself from the rest, gave Bella a quick kiss, and told them that I'd meet them at the club. Now that my errand was complete, it weighed heavily in my pocket for such a small thing.

I entered the club and flinched under the amount of minds that hit me all at once. As always, it was drunken, sexually driven, and singularly directed toward "getting laid." And it didn't matter what language the minds were thinking, because after enough alcohol, it was more pictures of people and actions than direct cognitive content.

Ignoring the stares of inebriated women – and a few men – I worked my way toward the back of the club. Carlisle and my brothers were watching the dance floor with smirks on their faces. The girls, however, were dancing together in a group, singing along to Adele's "Rumor Has It."

I had to grin at the angry song, but they were mesmerizing with their dance. And from the ogling they were getting from the rest of the dancers on the floor, we weren't the only ones that couldn't look away. It didn't help that they were all dressed to impress. Esme and Alice both were wearing a different shade of red – Esme's solid, while Alice's had a strange design on it in black. Rose was in bright purple, but my Bella was in sexy, sleek black. She'd been the most beautiful distraction from the moment she'd stepped out of our bedroom.

When the song was over, another blended in – "Where Have You Been?" by Rihanna. The whole dance floor shifted, flooded, and crammed closer, moving as one giant entity, but I couldn't stay away from my girl, especially considering two men were just about to move in to dance closer to her and my sister. And it seemed my brothers followed suit. With a grin to Rose, I pressed myself up behind Bella, who instantly melted back to my chest, her hand snaking up to my neck. The two men that had been eying my wife and my sister reversed back into the crowd after I shot them a raised eyebrow and a glare.

With my hands low on Bella's hips, I moved her against me, loving the feel of her body against mine and her hands in my hair. Trailing my fingers up the exposed skin of her arm, I grasped her hand and spun her to face me. The resulting smile was what I lived for. That was _my_ smile. It was the one that no matter if we were separated by a single room in the house or several blocks in a large city, I received _that_ smile once she set eyes on my face again.

"Beautiful girl," I greeted her, pressing my forehead to hers as my thigh slipped between her legs.

"Hi, handsome," she countered, brushing her lips across my own. "Where'd you go?"

Grinning, I picked up her right hand, slipping on the ring I'd had made for her. She'd kept the stone from our cave. In fact, it sat on our nightstand catching the glow of the lamp or candles, or even the late setting sun. My Bella hadn't been able to decide what she wanted to have made with it, so I'd gone back, pulled another crystal, and had had it cut into the stone that was now set in platinum on her finger.

Her face melted into warm and sweet as she gazed at her hand. "Oh, Edward," she gushed, halting all movement for a moment. "That's beautiful. Thank you."

I pulled her back into my arms, wrapping my arms around her, and put my lips to her ear. "That, my sweet girl, is an early anniversary present. I know it's not until next month, but I couldn't resist."

She giggled, kissing my cheek. "And it's _way_ better than anything I could've come up with!"

Laughing, I nuzzled her neck. "Or _maybe_...you've finally found appreciation for surprises. In fact, it sounds like you..._prefer_ them," I teased her, still chuckling. "It only took _eight years_, baby..."

Her laugh was loud but happy, sweet, and so very warming to my soul. "Maybe," she chortled, biting down on her bottom lip.

Weaving our fingers together, she wound us through the crowded dance floor, only to join Carlisle and Esme at our two tables. I sat down on the stool, pulling my girl to my lap as my mother oohed and ahhed over the ring.

I kept an eye on my siblings as they stayed out on the dance floor. It was more out of habit than protection. Kevin and Adrian were doing quite well in public, and despite their same sex coupling, no one really paid them any attention. And they weren't the only gay couple out there. Whereas Jasper and Emmett could handle certain situations when it came to their mates, I worried more for Adrian and Kevin, simply because I could see the judgmental thoughts, the foul reactions to their sexual preference. It happened more with small towns, but here, they seemed to be blending in just fine.

At the end of the song, the rest of the family came back to the table. Conversation was light, easy. Though, most were still concerned with our future. But for the moment, they were willing to forgo worry and research. The girls talked about the different clothes people were wearing, the songs that were playing, and the possibility of coming back to this particular club in the future. Emmett had his eye on the TV mounted above the bar across the room. It was a soccer game that was playing, but Jasper, Kevin, and Adrian all discussed a possible trip through the Amazon at some point. Jasper wanted to test his strength against a full-grown anaconda, but Adrian wanted to see piranha try to attack our impervious skin. That last thing made me chuckle.

It was Alice's gasp that caused us all to come to a standstill. When her vision not only hit her, but my mind at the same time, my head fell back with my laugh. Our whole family was watching the two of us, but I merely waved it away, gesturing to Alice to state what she'd seen.

She grinned, a slight giggle escaping her. "Well, hell...it's about damn time!" she huffed, giving a relieved sigh. "Bella...your plan worked."

My girl was confused for a second, but then her eyes widened. "Caroline and Archie!?" she squealed.

"Yes," Alice and I said at the same time, both of us chuckling.

"Oh, fuck yes! Ante up, assholes!" Emmett boomed, tapping a single finger at the middle of our table.

"Emmett!" Esme hissed, rolling her eyes, her mind wondering where she could find a bar of soap in a dance club.

"Thank God!" Jasper sighed heavily. "I wasn't sure how much more I could take!"

Fifty dollar bills landed heavily where Emmett's finger had been. I gaped at Carlisle when his own money landed at the top of the pile.

"Stop!" Bella growled, shielding the money before any hands to grab at it. "Do you have any idea how wrong this is?" she asked, and no man at the table would look her in the eye. "You think I don't know you made this same bet on me and Edward?"

I smirked, patting her leg to sooth her, but really, I just wanted to see her let loose on them. I didn't care, and she was stunning when she was fiery and hell-bent on something. It had been Esme that had raked in almost two hundred dollars the night we'd finally consummated our relationship – for having faith in me, in Bella, in love itself.

Kevin chuckled, glancing around the table. "Is there anything this family won't bet on?"

"No!" the entire lot of us replied.

"You weren't in?" Jasper asked me.

I pointed to my still-puffed-up girl as they started to divvy up the money. "Seriously?"

He grinned. "Fair enough."

Bella eyed him with a twitch to one eye, and I pressed my lips to her cheek.

"Easy, tiger," I purred in her ear, my fingers tracing the edge of her short skirt along the smooth, tempting skin of her thighs. "You can't change their ways, sweet girl. Believe me, Esme's been trying to teach Emmett manners for decades."

She grinned, turning to look at me. "Soap?"

I laughed. "Yeah." A new song started, and I squeezed Bella's leg. "Dance with me, my sexy girl..."

The thumping beat of "Give Me Everything" by Pitbull and Ne-Yo started. There was a touch of a Spanish beat to the music, but the song made me hold my girl close, wrap her arms around my neck and her leg around mine. It made me reach out and touch, press my forehead to hers, and create an endless list of things I wanted to do to her once we were away from humans and our family. The latter, in turn, made me grind against her, unable to hide the way that she made me feel, the way that she turned me on at all times.

But mostly, it made me want to kiss her. And I did. I kissed her with long, slow sweeps of my lips across hers, with the bare hint of tongue, and with an all-consuming desire to get her away. My sweet girl's fingers slipped into my hair out of habit, and she tilted her head as we swayed to our own beat. That was when I really kissed her, delving deep and wet and moaning shamelessly into her mouth. I kissed her for every smile she gave me, every giggle; for each set of male and female eyes that drank her in as a proclamation that she was _mine_; for each day she'd given up as a human for me, every year that she'd been married to me, and for every day coming; for being beautiful and sweet and having the biggest heart I'd ever seen – human or immortal; and for being my best friend and the voice of reason, even if no one listened; and for simply loving me.

When we finally parted, the song was still playing, though we were swaying to something completely different. Her fathomless brown eyes gazed up at me, the chocolate slowly ebbing away to black.

"What was that for?" she panted, licking her lips, though I could taste her breath on my tongue.

I shrugged. "I love you."

I received another smile that was all mine – the smile that was different than the rest. It appeared even when "I love you" was whispered during our love-making, and I was pretty sure she was completely unaware that she did it. It lit a spark in her eye and caused a hitch in her breathing. Every damn time.

Bella nuzzled my nose with her own. "Love you, too, Edward."

~oOo~

Curtains flapped in the wind, rain splattered onto the windows, but the French doors thumped against the wall.

"I got it," Bella offered in soft voice, crawling over me to shut out the weather.

It was the first sound I'd heard in the house in hours. The storm coming seemed to cause us all to sequester ourselves away from the family. Bella's shield was sealed tightly around us, so I couldn't hear the minds in the house, but some noises met my ears. That was easily ignored, especially when my girl walked completely naked around our room.

As much as I wanted to be out in the rain when the storm truly hit, my human side didn't want to leave the house. Hell, I didn't want to leave the twisted sheets of our bed. Rolling onto my stomach and tucking a pillow under my chin, my eyes stayed glued to my girl as she made sure that all windows were secure and the French doors wouldn't blow back open, relighting some of the candles that had been snuffed out.

It was the middle of the summer, so the rain came often. The first storm of the season had rendered Bella and me absolutely useless. We'd had to leave the family, escape to our cave, and we'd lost ourselves to the electricity that we couldn't resist. Not after so long. That had been several weeks ago and a handful of months since we'd been on the island altogether. And this storm wasn't going to pack as big of punch as the others had. Besides, there was something about the silence in the house that was comforting.

Bella was bare and beautiful, wearing only her wedding ring, a messy head of hair, and the ring I'd given her with the purple stone from our cave. She was stunning and looked thoroughly irresistible. Our bedroom iPod was playing softly on the dresser, the lyrics of "She's Got a Way With Me" by Billy Currington making my eyes rake over every inch of her as she stepped back toward the bed.

_I'm not the same man since she's been around  
There's more to this life, I've suddenly found  
I look at myself now so differently  
It's her love that brings me peace_

Bella smiled indulgently, though her eyes darkened a bit. As she crawled back in bed, I started to roll over to face her, but a small hand on my back stopped me.

_Don't move, Edward_, she thought to me, and her mind registered how I looked to her in that bed.

The white sheet was wrapped around me, though just barely covering my ass, but it was my exposed back that she was unable to resist. Lightly trailing her fingers down my spine, her lips soon followed. Shoulder blades, ribs, the dip just above my ass – all of it received her attention. She pushed the sheet out of the way, and my low, soft growl vibrated the bed when the same process met the cheeks of my ass.

_Suddenly it's something  
You just can't live without  
Oh, you know you found love  
Beyond any doubt  
With a simple man's words  
I can never convey all that I feel when I say  
She's got a way with me._

When her teeth scraped across my cheek, she giggled when I writhed under her, finally looking back over my shoulder.

"Sorry," she chortled in a whisper. _Couldn't resist that..._at all_, baby._

Words like "gravity-defying" and "sweet ass" were spotty in her mind, and I shook my head, unable to fight my grin. As my last song added to the playlist faded out and a new one began, Bella roughly yanked the covers up and over our heads. Finally, she allowed me to roll onto my back, but she straddled me as we were cocooned in white sheets and the heavy comforter.

"Dedicated to the One I Love" by the Mamas and the Papas was Bella's choice of song, which I found interesting, considering the lyrics talked about separation and holding on until the next time. But her mind simply registered that it was about our connection, no matter how little time we ever parted, which was so very rare anymore.

However, the build, the flow, and the needy sound of the song changed everything. Our bodies, our hands, our lips seemed to have a mind of their own. Grinding, kissing, pushing, pulling – it all started without our permission. My hands pushed her hips down to give me friction over my cock that never seemed satisfied. Bella's lips trailed from my mouth, down my jaw, to my neck, sucking, licking, teeth scraping.

Not a word was said, like some unacknowledged vow of silence. I could barely catch my breath for the want of her. As her forehead pressed to mine, our eyes locked, but my mouth gaped as I panted, my hands gripping her hips, clawing at her back, and slipping into her hair. I wanted to engulf myself in her, drown in the essence of her, but I could only beg silently for it.

_Take it, Edward_, she thought to me, even her inner voice sounding just as desperate as I felt.

I gripped her thighs, spread her open wider so that her legs were on either side of me, and she pushed herself up just a little. Guiding myself to her entrance, I held her hips still, thrusting up in one swift movement of my hips. Bending my knees, I did all the work while Bella's sweet moans, deep kisses, and gripping hands rendered me practically stupid.

My girl was close but finally pushed herself up fully, the covers falling back as the lightning flickered across the early morning sky, thunder rumbling not long after. I had to bite down hard on my lip to keep from begging her to come in every language I knew, and poor Bella was trying her damnedest to keep her own voice and cries from sounding out.

Unable to resist her, I sat up, wrapping my arm around her waist to help her move, to help her catch that orgasm she'd been chasing, and to capture the sound I knew would escape her in a kiss.

"Guh..." was all that made it into the open air before my mouth caught it, drank it in like the finest wine, the sweetest blood.

My sweet girl's body shuddered, vibrated, and jerked as she came. Hard. My lips and tongue absorbed every whimper and every moan, but her mind was loud with declarations of love as she continued to move with me.

Burying my face into her neck, I had to grit my teeth when my own climax hit me like a ton of bricks, my hand slapping down onto her shoulder to ground myself. We were a panting knot of skin and limbs, and not a soul in the house was aware of us. The rain spattered against the windows as the wind howled outside. My only thoughts were consumed by the scent of her, the feel of her, the soft touches that trailed down my back.

_Edward?_ Her mind was soft again, tentative.

"Hmm?" I hummed, pulling my face from her neck and looking her in the eyes as I brushed her hair back.

My brow furrowed at her sudden nerves. She was fidgeting, looking away from me, but her mind was still open, filled with a cacophony of different thoughts.

"Sweet girl, talk to me..." I whispered, nuzzling her cheek to make her glance my way again. "Did I hurt you?" I asked, not thinking physically, but still...I wasn't sure why she was so damned nervous.

She swallowed thickly, shaking her head and gazing back at me. _I want... _She sighed, looking simply wrecked with nerves.

"I'll give you anything, baby. Tell me."

_I want our own place next time, Edward... _Her brow furrowed, like that secret confession was going to get her into trouble.

"Me, too," I admitted, grimacing at the truth of it. "I just... I don't know how."

This had been plaguing the entire family since we'd had to leave Caribou. How to keep twelve members of our family together without alerting humans to the fact that we were different. There had been several ideas passed over to Carlisle. I was aware of most of them because he thought them completely through, called Marcus, even consulted with Demitri on some of them, but no one could agree. High school was out. College was a possibility, but no one wanted to live on campus. Houses large enough for all of us were enormous and would cause more attention than ever when we moved in. We were beginning to think that separation was inevitable. And that caused a sadness in Carlisle and Esme that made us erase the blackboard and start all over.

Deep, dark, concerned eyes met my own. _I think I have an idea, baby..._

Grinning, I nodded, kissed her lips, and said, "Show me."

I tilted my head at her, listening to all that she had uncovered the night before. She'd been working with Esme and Jasper, trying their best to research something for us back in the States. It was meticulous and detailed, because not only did they have to locate someplace for all of us to live, but they were trying to find work for Carlisle at the same time. The latter was a surprise. They wanted to be able to present him with several options.

It was easy to eliminate certain places and add states that gave us the best hunting and weather. Alaska was at the top of the list, along with some parts of the Pacific Northwest that we'd never lived. The south was out, as was the southwest and California. New York had been overused; Maine was gone. That left us with the central part of the United States and parts of Canada. Even Chicago had been considered, if only as a gift to me, but I'd told them that it didn't matter.

When she'd shown me her idea, my mind raced as I twirled a lock of her hair. We were still sitting in the middle of our bed wrapped around each other, but I gazed back into her eyes after careful consideration. I'd seen this scenario before, but they'd worked well into the night. Again, Bella had shielded me from some of it – most likely so that I wouldn't get my hopes up if there had been some flaw found in the plan.

"You're sure? It's available?" I asked, but she was already nodding. "Only the winter would give us the cloud coverage for going out in the daytime," I thought aloud.

"We know," she said aloud. "We've noted it. I think it could work. And I think _everyone_ will be happy."

I started nodding, my mind reeling with the possibilities. "I think... I think you're right. And there, Caroline would be away from humans. Though, she's doing well."

That was the truth. She'd already started venturing off the island and onto the mainland. With the help of Bella's shield and teaching her how to hold her breath, she'd really begun to control herself. Even her newborn temper had settled down a little. In fact, we'd already touched on the fact that if we came up with a moving option, she'd be just fine with a plane ride this time.

"I want to see, Bella," I stated softly. "Show me what you've found."

Her resulting smile was blinding. "Okay," she said, removing herself from my lap and tugging on her clothes. "You must think it'll work. I was worried it wouldn't, Edward. It was why I shielded you from it. I know you were getting frustrated."

I grinned at her protectiveness but nodded fervently. "Hell, yes, I think it'll work," I told her, pulling on a pair of jeans and a simple white T-shirt. "But I'm pretty sure you've got more to show me?" I asked, and she giggled.

The house was still quiet when we padded down the hallway, though by now, Bella had lifted her shield from over me. The house that had been filled with soft conversations and sounds of amorous activity was now listening to Bella and me. The most hopeful mind was Carlisle, but Esme was practically giddy that Bella had thought to bring me in on their latest discovery. My father, however, was holding his breath that whatever I was about to see would be the answer, because he was out of ideas.

Bella tugged out a dining room chair in front of her laptop for me to sit. The table was strewn with papers, notes, maps. It had been that way for months. When one idea had been squashed, the top would be cleaned off and it would start all over.

With a touch to the mouse, the computer screen came to life, revealing a picture of Bella and me as her wallpaper. I smiled, tugged her to my lap, and let her click away.

A map popped up on the screen.

"Montana," I mused to myself aloud, taking over the mouse and giving it a scroll.

"Yeah," she barely whispered. "We talked to Catherine, and she said it's easy to get lost there in the wilderness. The human population is lower. So we started really looking... See?"

She pointed to the screen, and I nodded against her shoulder.

There were a hundred acres available, with an extraordinarily large cabin-type home on it. It sat with a stunning backdrop of the Rockies, and it was positioned between Missoula and Butte. Missoula contained the University of Montana and several hospital options for Carlisle. Butte also had a few college choices, though smaller.

"A hundred acres," I mused, rubbing my chin. "We could—"

"Build," she finished for me excitedly. "But check out Jasper's plan."

She opened up a document, scrolling to the top. Jasper had a detailed outline of how it could work. I sensed movement in the hallway, looking up to see Carlisle and Esme walking into the room.

"It would take a bit of time," Esme added, sitting down next to me. "But essentially, it would work."

I shook my head, amazed. They had thought of everything. Carlisle would go in, buying the cabin, which was really an estate, and the additional hundred acres. He then would turn around and "sell" individual pieces of property to the rest of us. They'd even gone as far as to map out who and where, with labels such as McCarty, Masen-Cullen, and Whitlock. There was even a big question mark over one that said Stark-Cullen.

"A property developer?" I asked, looking to my mother. "That's perfect. And that would give us several years there."

"And your own places," Esme finished, running her fingers through my hair. _You think I don't know that you and Bella have been struggling with this decision? I know you, my sweet boy. You need your time alone again. But I'm not blind. I also know that you'd do anything for your father, so I think _this_ will settle all of it._

"Okay," I said, dragging out the word, but soon, we weren't alone in the dining room. Everyone was trickling out of the hallway. "What about Caroline and Archie?"

"I thought it would be best if we stayed close to Carlisle and Esme," Archie piped up. "We would be in the main house," he added, and Caroline looked impressed with that decision.

"And we haven't decided," Adrian countered. "That's why there's a question mark. Boy, Esme, you really do listen to every conversation around here, don't you?"

"I know my family," she huffed, shooting him a wink. "I know what my children need. All of you. I just have more of you to consider this time around."

We all chuckled, but the best was watching my father's face and mind absorb every detail from over Bella's and my shoulders, but Esme wasn't finished.

"This could essentially answer everyone's problems. The university would give any of you the opportunity to attend classes, there are several hospitals and clinics in the area, and I think I'd be safe to say that you could assume whatever ages you wanted so those of you that need time alone could come in as newly married couples."

"However, I've mapped out several ideas for back-stories for all of us," Jasper said, picking up a stack of printed pages. "Some are even simple enough that you could 'work from home.'" He grinned, using his fingers for the quotation marks.

Bella flipped through the pages, giggling a little. "Oh, you get to play the trust fund kid...again," she cooed adorably.

Laughing, I kissed her cheek. "Fair enough, love."

But as I skimmed through the pages, I could see that Jasper had given Bella and me several options. I could teach piano lessons to children at the local school – there was an ad for one in the local Butte paper. He'd even found an open position at free clinic for me to practice pediatric medicine if I chose to. Or on a completely different path, Bella and I could attend classes, because my brother hadn't forgotten that we'd considered a degree in children's psychiatry a few years back. He'd even drafted up our credits from Dartmouth – falsely updated, of course. All of it – every detail – was right there. And we weren't the only ones he'd been busting his ass to accommodate. It was only when Bella and Esme had stepped in to help that things truly started to fall into place.

As I listened around the room, I could hear that all the ideas, options, and plans were being accepted fully by each and every member of the family, but it was Alice's beaming smile that I locked onto.

"It works. All of it," she whispered to me, but her mind was showing me every mated couple, every scenario. And she was right. The humans wouldn't assume anything about us if we came in as couples building new homes.

To cover Caroline and Archie living with Carlisle and Esme, they would now assume the roles of "foster children." As would Kevin and Adrian, if they decided to live with them, as well. Public high school was now a thing of the past, and thanks to Bella, home-schooling would now be the answer that was given. However, the location of where the property was would give us plenty of space, hunting grounds, and several years to stay because we were nowhere near humans; we would be seated in the mountains away from people. No one would notice if we suddenly graduated or dropped out of college. No one would care if Carlisle transferred from a hospital in Missoula to a new one in Butte. The spread-out area gave us freedom.

But it also gave Carlisle his biggest desire – to keep his family close, both old members and new. And emotion filled his mind, thickened his voice as he turned to face us.

"Let's put it to a vote," he rasped, giving Esme a loving look. "Montana? Jasper, since this is your baby..." he said with a proud grin.

Alice nodded, and Jasper chuckled. "Absolutely in."

"Kevin, Adrian?" Carlisle asked.

"Yeah, definitely," Kevin gushed with a nod, "but we're still undecided about our own place or staying with you."

"You're welcome to stay as long as you wish," he vowed honestly. "Edward? Bella?"

Bella turned to me. "Well?" she asked with a giggle. _You ready for our own home again?_

I wanted to kiss her senseless and say "fuck yes," but I turned to Carlisle. "We're in. And I'll help you with the initial purchase and paperwork. Bella and I will travel with you."

_Thank you, son._ His thoughts were filled with gratefulness and emotions he could barely contain, but he turned to Archie. "I know you've been alone a long time, but there's a place for you and Caroline for as long as you wish."

"We know," Caroline answered for the two of them, linking her arm through Archie's. "I would feel...much more comfortable if we could stay with you. I'm still...new at this," she said with a giggle, dodging Kevin's and Emmett's outstretched hands that aimed to ruffle her hair.

Archie dropped a kiss to the top of her head, much more relaxed with showing his affections these days. She was happy, so he was happy, too. Though, secretly, he wished to make her his in every way; he just hadn't asked her the question yet.

Carlisle nodded and then turned to Rose and Emmett, who were already nodding. "Is that your vote?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Yes, sure," Rose stated, but she was looking forward to designing their own place, making something for just the two of them. It had been years since she'd been able to do that.

Emmett, however, couldn't resist breaking up the emotions of the room.

"This'll fucking rock!" he boomed, punching the air with his giant fist. "We're close, but not on top of each other – well, only if you wanna be on top, Rosie," he continued with a snort, grinning lasciviously at her eye roll and groans from the rest of us. "But still...we can do whatever the hell we want! That's a motherfucking win!"

The whole room cracked up, except for Esme, who'd finally had enough. She was blur down the hallway, but slower coming back.

"Emmett, you'd better run!" I warned him, knowing he'd never make it out the front doors.

"Oh shit!" he gasped, eying Esme's hand that was filled with suds and a bar of soap. "You hafta catch me, _Mom_!" he taunted, taking off out the front door and into the rain that had slowed down to a drizzle.

"He's not giving her enough credit," Bella muttered to me as our mother and brother ran across the front of the house toward the beach. "Fifty bucks says he's burping suds when he comes back."

"No way," Kevin guffawed, slapping money down onto the table. "He's too strong, too fast."

"Yeah, but he's got a soft spot for Mom," Rose snorted, adding her own money to the pile.

"Esme," Adrian proclaimed, wandering toward the windows.

"Esme," Carlisle said firmly in agreement.

"Definitely Mom," I stated.

Archie shook his head. "I don't know...Emmett, I think."

"Nah, Esme," Caroline countered.

"Oh, yeah, Mom all the way," Jasper voted, finally rounded out the betting, leaving a smirking Alice out of it all.

We wandered outside to watch Emmett try to evade Esme, the suds only growing in the rainy weather. He tried laughing it off, but she kept coming. He tried apologizing for his language, but she ignored it. With one last-ditch effort, Emmett tried to flee into the jungle, but Esme launched herself, tackling him into the sand. Before he knew what was coming, the soap, suds, and her hand met his mouth in a vigorous attempt to clean his foul language.

"She'd warned him," I sang, shrugging a shoulder, unable to keep my laugh in as a sand- and suds-covered Emmett finally sat up and an extremely proud Esme made her way back to the house, brushing her hands off.

"Repeatedly," Bella agreed.

"Almost daily," Rose sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Yup. No sympathy," Jasper sighed dramatically, but turned to face us. "So...shall we get started on this move?"

Everyone nodded, and I wrapped my arm around my Bella's shoulder, pressing a kiss to her temple. When she gazed up at me, I smiled.

"Yeah," I sighed, ready to have my girl all to myself again.

I was ready for a place she could make her own again. She'd been blissful in London, and this would give her a chance to do it again. Only this time, we would still be close enough to the family, without having them as nosy neighbors. I knew we still needed to sit down – just the two of us – and talk about which options we wanted to take, but it didn't matter. It _never_ mattered. Not to us. As long as Bella and I were together, we'd get through anything. Always.

Kissing my beautiful, sweet girl one more time, I then looked up at Jasper and Carlisle. I gave them a single nod.

"Let's get to work."

* * *

**A/N... There were so many options to choose from when it came down to the family that I actually couldn't decide. I wanted to keep them together, but this seemed the most innocuous way of going about it. Now...the fictitious side of things are that parts of the Rockies really aren't available to purchase, but I would imagine that with enough money, anything is possible. So they get the best of both worlds...staying together and their own place.**

**I want to give you guys the choice. I know I said I'd write an outtake for the motorcycle lemon, but then I wrote this, realizing that there was a possible storm lemon. So...which one? Motorcycle on the side of the highway? Or thunderstorm in their secret cave? Hmm? You tell me.**

**I told you I'd make up for the lack of music... So here are the songs added to the playlist:**

"**Rumor Has It" by Adele**

"**Where Have You Been?" by Rihanna**

"**Give Me Everything" by Pitbull/Ne-Yo/Nayer**

"**She's Got a Way With Me" by Billy Currington**

"**Dedicated to the One I Love" by the Mamas and the Papas**

****snort** My taste in music runs the gamut... SMH...**

**Anyway, I'm saving all my gushy, sentimental stuff for the epi, which is being written now. As things are going, Sunday is looking good for the final post. That being said, I hope that I left these guys in a good place. That even without the epi, you can see hope and a future and their undeniable connection – between Edward and Bella and between the entire family as a unit. Some of you have mentioned that you miss the original members of the family, but as I've written a few original characters into this series, I can't seem to let them go. I love them too much. Archie and really...it's Kevin... Kevin has taken a piece of my heart.**

**Just to reiterate... I have no idea what I'm working on next, though I have a pretty good idea. I know Mercward is at the top of your list for some of you, but I can't say for sure. Honestly. Perhaps something different? Something not attached to an already established series? Again, no promises right now. If you ask my pre-reader, GooberLou, I've been telling her that I'm gonna sleep for a week once Angelward is complete. LOL I doubt it'll happen, but hey, whatever. ;)**

**Okay, so I'll see you guys on Sunday...if all goes well. Let me know what you want on the outtake, and I'm sure some of you have opinions on what Edward and Bella should choose to do... So let me hear it. Until next time... Mooches, Deb. :)**


	41. Chapter 41 - Epilogue

**A/N... Here it is...the last chapter. I need to tell you first of all that this has been amazing fun writing Angelward again. And I truly need to thank all of you that have been with me from the first one and the ones that have joined along the way. THANK YOU! Thank you for your laughter, encouragement, theories, and worry. AND...thank you for the song recs! Love those! ;)**

**Keep in mind that I did take liberties with where they're living. Also...there was SO MUCH to touch on here that I had no choice but to write this epi in flashes of time. You'll see.**

**I know it's a bittersweet moment...but I'll let you get to it. See me at the bottom one last time...**

* * *

Chapter 41 – Epilogue

**A month later...**

**BELLA**

The craggy tops of the Rocky Mountains loomed in the distant background as I ran through the trees. Carlisle and Esme had closed on the property as of that morning. Montana was just...stunning and so very remote. It was trees, small lakes and creeks, and plenty of hunting. As fall got closer and closer, fat grizzlies could be seen catching fish in rivers, deer were plentiful, and the best news – cougars roamed the trees and rocks. And we hadn't even reached the end of our newly acquired property yet.

Edward and I had left the main cabin to not only hunt, but to run off the extra energy we had from the flight from Rio and sitting still through the closing. After a large cat and a few deer each, we'd just started running, weaving through large clumps of trees, leaping over creeks and lakes, and finally just giving into the chase.

I smelled Edward before I heard his stealthy steps behind me. Not bothering to shield myself, I laughed and suddenly found my back planted into soft green grasses. A very proud, very dominant-looking Edward braced over me, a feral growl vibrating out of his chest.

"You let me catch you," he accused with narrowed black eyes.

"Yeah," I said with a giggle, snaking my arms up his flexed forearms and biceps and around his neck. "'Cause this sucks...bad."

His expression changed from my fierce vampire to my very sweet and amused husband, and the electricity between us kicked up as he leaned slowly down to kiss me.

"Yep, it's just awful... Terrible, in fact," he murmured wryly against my lips.

"Shut up and kiss me," I purred. Not bothering to wait for him, I leaned up and captured his mouth with my own.

Edward tasted like the deer he'd just caught not ten minutes prior. His lips were soft, warm, and sweet against my own, finally claiming my mouth with his tongue as all his weight settled on top of me, my legs cradling his waist.

The high, shrill cry of a hawk made me jump, and I broke away from his lips with a gasp to look to my left.

"Oh, wow..." I breathed, my eyes widening at the sight before me.

Edward and I were on the crest of a small hill that was surrounded by trees. The entire area was tall grasses and wildflowers, and at the bottom of the hill, the ground leveled out to bank against a small pond fed by a short waterfall. Standing guard in the distant background like enormous sentries were the pointy, gray peaks of the Rockies. It didn't even look real. It looked like a postcard, a painting, or the cover of a coffee table book.

"Whoa," Edward whispered, sitting back on his knees, and I sat up in front of him, our eyes locked onto the sight.

It was essentially our meadow – and every other secret place we'd ever found – and it was just as hidden, just as beautiful as all of them put together. It was our creek in New Hampshire, our pond in Oregon, our waterfall in Maine, and our meadow in Forks. It was every bit of them rolled into one unbelievable place.

"This is it," we both whispered at the same time.

Edward smiled, standing up and offering me his hand. He helped me to my feet, linking our fingers together as he led us at a human pace down the little hill. We came to a standstill in the middle of it all under a tree, and I watched as Edward's eyes soaked it in, assessing, calculating, and visualizing everything. For him, I could imagine it was more of a detailed numbers thing.

He took a deep breath, wrapping his arms around me from behind. "Not numbers, sweet girl. I just don't want build where any of this could be spoiled. At all," he said reverently. "Not to mention, we're almost at the farthest northern corner of the property. Access could prove difficult. But this is..."

"Perfect," I gushed, turning to look up at him. "Here, Edward. Can it be done? Please say it can!"

Grinning down at me, he dropped a quick kiss to the tip of my nose and then gazed over the land one more time. His smile fell a little, his brow furrowed, and he chewed on his bottom lip – a habit he'd definitely started picking up from me.

With a deep breath, he looked back down at me, turning me around to face the small pond. "My beautiful girl, show me. Show me how you see it. Show me what you would want."

Taking in my surroundings, I had to agree with Edward. I didn't want a modern house or a wretched stretch of paved driveway to ruin the natural beauty that was around us. There was a flat space of land between two sets of trees that would be perfect for a relatively small house – or a cottage. Positioned the right way, the back door would face the little lake and the mountains in the background. I saw our house with natural wood and stone, plenty of large windows, and a space for Edward's piano at the front. A deck at the back door, a tiny dock on the pond, and wildflowers everywhere – that's what I imagined.

"God, love...that's stunning, actually," he whispered against the back of my head. He took another deep breath and turned to look behind us. "Hmm...maybe with Jasper's and Emmett's help, a few trips up here on ATVs, and the right path, we could create a natural driveway..."

I said nothing, just simply watched him with what was most likely a pitiful, pleading face.

When he finally met my gaze again, he chuckled at me, shaking his head. "You're sure?"

"Yes!"

"Positive?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, and now he was just teasing me.

"Yes, Edward! Please?"

He broke out into a sexy grin. "Yeah..." He sighed, gazing around. "This is definitely for us, Bella."

"Yes!" I squealed, jumping up and down like Alice, and my husband laughed at me but pulled me into a hug. "Thank you," I sighed.

"Like I would've told you no, silly girl. I would've moved those mountains before saying you couldn't have something," he said with a chuckle.

He dropped a kiss to my lips, sat down on the ground, and leaned back against a tree trunk, patting the space between his legs. "Okay, sweetheart. We've got lots to talk about. Let's talk."

I settled back against him, and we discussed the details of the house – what we both wanted, how we thought it should look, and when we could start. We also talked about our future. Did Edward want to practice medicine? The answer was no. He didn't think the hours apart would be good for us. We'd tried that once and failed because our connection wouldn't allow it. Did Edward want to teach piano? It was something he was willing to consider, but it wasn't a do or die vocation for him. He played for his own enjoyment – for _my_ enjoyment. Which left school as the last option.

"God, Edward, you've done school for decades," I began with a snort, turning to sit facing him. "Really? You'd go back..._again_?"

His laugh was soft and sweet as he reached up to tuck a lock of my hair behind my ear. "Normally, I would agree with you, but this is different. I've never thought to study this aspect of medicine. Carlisle seems to think that my mind reading will add a element of usefulness to it. Are you still interested in helping children, love?"

"I think so," I said with a nod. "How long would it take?"

"Another three to four years in addition to the credits that Jasper's edited for us," he stated, grimacing a little. "We'll have to intern somewhere before we're completely done." He thought for a moment. "However, we may be able to expedite the situation with online classes and summer courses. That might eliminate a year."

"I want to stay together – throughout internships and classes," I stated the obvious as I debated it.

"Of course. No question."

"I mean, I know some classes may separate us, but still..."

He grinned and nodded for me to go on.

"Umm," I hedged, tilting my head up at him. "How could we work? I mean, like where?"

"We could do anything you wished – work with children at the hospital with Carlisle, volunteer at clinics, private practice, mental health facilities, or even social work," he suggested, ticking off his points with his long fingers.

"And we could stay here?" I asked, pointing to the ground, but then picked a bright yellow flower to twirl in my fingers.

"The whole time," he vowed. "Even longer. If we never give up this address and no humans come here, then we'll be able to stay here much longer than the usual places, sweet girl." He took the flower from my fingers and tucked it into my hair. "Due to where this is located, baby, we could come back here sooner than say...Forks. No one would know that it exists. We'll set up post office boxes in Missoula or something...close them when we decide to 'leave.'"

I started to smile and nod, loving this place more and more. I could see a future laid out before us, where family was nearby but not on top of us. I could see school again – which I absolutely adored attending with Edward – and I imagined long, lazy, sunny days right there where no one could see us. Future smiles from little kids as they worked with Edward flashed through my mind. Hanging out with family, only to separate when we wanted our own time and privacy was so perfect. I saw snowed-in winters, rainy springs, and colorful falls. And it was all right there. Even if one day, we had to leave, it wouldn't take so long to come back because like he'd said, no one would ever come here to know it existed.

I took one more look at the rough terrain, giggling. "No more sports cars, Mr. Cullen," I teased, crawling into his lap.

Edward accepted me with open arms and a chuckling kiss to my lips. "Not so fast, Mrs. Cullen. There's always the main house's garage..."

I laughed, my head falling back. "Okay. Fair enough." I locked gazes with him. "Speaking of names...which one are we going with?"

He smirked, shrugging a shoulder. "I don't know, sweet girl. Maybe both? Put the property and the house in Masen to hide our identities, but in school, we could be Cullen. Or...we could hyphenate it. I am a trust fund kid again, you know; it'll sound pretentious. Mrs. Isabella Marie Masen-Cullen?"

Grinning, I nodded with a giggle because I liked it either way. "Okay." I leaned in and kissed him, pulling his forehead to mine. "You know what this means, right, baby?" I asked him, shielding my mind from him.

He pouted adorably at the loss of my thoughts as he shook his head. "No, what?"

"It means..." I purred, scooting closer to him so that I was looming over his extremely handsome yet confused face. "It means I have to defend what's mine at school again. Hot little co-eds all wanting what they can't have..."

"Oh, yeah?" he asked with a laugh, cupping my face and caressing my cheeks with his thumbs. "'Cause it's so easy for you to ignore the poor freshmen that positively trip over themselves to look at you..."

Grinning, I shrugged a shoulder. "I can't see anyone but you, Edward."

"Ditto, sweet girl," he whispered, brushing his lips across mine. "You're all I see. All day. Every day." He kissed me again, and it was deep and sweet, causing my fingers to curl into his hair and my breathing to become stilted. "So...we're doing this? All of it? The house, the school, the career?"

I nodded fervently. "Yeah," I replied softly. "All of it, baby."

~oOo~

**Fall... **

Pressing the phone between my shoulder and ear, I answered my ringing phone with, "Hey, Dad," as I made my way across campus after one of my late afternoon classes.

"There's my girl. How's the new digs?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Ridiculously expensive and a waste of time," I replied back. "We're only using the apartment in Missoula until the house is finished. We hardly spend time there, but it gives us an address to use."

My eyes scanned around me, but the later classes had less students, so no one was really paying me any attention.

"Edward doin' okay? I mean, with school, building the house, and that new girl you guys found?"

"Oh, Edward's great," I told him, unable to keep the smile off my face. "And Caroline is amazing. She handled the move into the main house just fine. She's handling everything better than any of us expected, actually. She's going to try to attempt a family outing in a few days."

"The band gettin' back together?" Charlie laughed, and I couldn't help but join him.

"Oh yeah," I sang. "The boys can't help themselves. Never mind that they'll tell you it's for us."

Charlie chuckled again. "And the house?"

I sighed, finding my waiting spot at a table just outside Edward's classroom. I sat down, setting my backpack on the table top. Until the weather changed to colder and more overcast, we were in later classes or working online. Most of our courses were together, but we were separated for one or two. It was a class-size issue, not a credits situation.

"The house... Or should I say..._houses_." I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Those boys are trying to break their necks with this bet, Dad. I swear."

I grinned at Charlie's laughter. It was good to hear. It was normal and the one tie to my human life that I never took for granted.

"So let me get this straight... Not only are you guys building your own homes, but it's a damn race to the finish?" he snorted.

"Yup!" I huffed a laugh. "Oh, but Emmett screwed himself because he let Rose design the house, so he's working with a lot more square footage. Plus a basement, not to mention an insane garage. It's silly, really. But it's been pretty fun."

"What's the bet?" Charlie asked.

"Losers have to unload every moving truck. Second place has to move the cars out of storage in Washington." We both laughed at that.

"How's all that construction going with school?"

"We don't sleep, Dad, neither do we need light to work, so when we're not here, we're at the pond, even at night." I gave another quick glance around, but again, my conversation was private.

"What are the rest of you guys doing now that you're all stateside?" he asked.

"Rose and Emmett are taking time off from school," I started. "They're going to do what they were doing in London – refurbishing old cars and reselling them. Jasper and Alice are also taking time off from school but may join us in the second semester just because they like the campus. She's been way too busy hunting down decorations for Esme for not just the main house, but all four houses. Kevin and Adrian are starting college next semester, for sure. Kevin wants to give it a try, for theater. Adrian is interested in architecture. Carlisle, however, has already started at St. Patrick's Hospital. He's working overnight."

"And your classes? You like them?"

"It's going fine. It's different than Dartmouth, smaller. But we're past the point of basic courses. Everything from this point on is focused on what we're working toward," I explained.

"I'm proud of you, Bells. You and Edward. The two of you could choose to do nothing or travel like spoiled kids, but you don't. You're always trying to better yourselves. And I'm glad you're closer again. Maybe I can come see you..."

"Soon, I promise," I vowed. "That would be great. I'd like the house finished before you do...and to give Caroline a little more time to harness her control. She's doing great, but she still has moments."

"You tell me when, Bella."

"I will. So how's everyone?" I asked, glancing up when Edward's classroom door opened and students spilled out into the hallway.

I listened as Charlie gave me updates on Jake, Anna, and the kids. Izzie was a firecracker, giving her parents all sorts of hell, but little Eddie was soon to be starting school. Grandpa Charlie spoiled them both to the point of sickness. Seth had finally married Lexi, and one of the wolves' imprints was expecting their first baby. Jessica was doing well and had decided to finish school online, so now she was substitute teaching when she could get the work.

Glancing up, I smirked, trying not to roll my eyes at several girls not only eying Edward like a juicy steak, but were chatting aimlessly around him...or _at _him, really. His raised eyebrow my way made me laugh silently and turn away. Otherwise, I'd laugh out loud in the poor girls' faces as he politely declined phone numbers, signaling in the direction of "his wife." That hardly slowed them down from asking for a study group. He could've declined, but he didn't, stating that we'd _both_ meet them at the library the following evening. We both had group projects, so it was beneficial to for us to go. God, I just really loved going to school with him.

"Bells, I gotta run. The station is calling the home phone," Charlie stated as Edward straddled the bench behind me.

"You should retire, Dad," I sighed forlornly. "I worry about you. Something stupid could happen. Be safe, okay?"

"Always am," he vowed. "Love ya, kiddo."

"Love you, too," I said softly, but the call was already disconnected.

Warm, sweet lips pressed to my temple as strong arms wrapped around me. "Everything okay, love?"

"Mmmhm," I hummed, leaning into him.

I ignored the jealous glares aimed my way, because there wasn't much I could do about it. Edward was beautiful, that was a fact. They just had no idea that the inner Edward was just as gorgeous – if not more – than the outer Edward. And that was truly saying something.

"I think as time goes on, my worry to cling to Charlie makes me desperate to keep him in some sort of safety bubble." I snorted, turning to smile up at him. "I mean, Jake watches him like a hawk, even when Charlie's not looking. Especially on late-night calls. But still..."

"Jacob follows him?" Edward snickered, shaking his head. "I owe that dog..."

Grinning at the old term, I shrugged a shoulder. "Yeah. For me. Somehow, I'm okay with it. And I _know_ Sue is okay with it." I leaned up, pressing my lips softly to his. "How was class, Mr. Popularity?"

Edward rolled his eyes. "Fine. Though I'm not thrilled about group projects...unless you're in my group. Which you're not. And I'm hating it."

I giggled at him, simply because he was just damned adorable when he babbled all pouty and grumpy. "Let me guess...the flirty triplets are in your group."

"They _are_ my group," Edward growled, his brow furrowing when I cracked up.

"Working with different people could be good for you," I pointed out with a grin.

"It's not the people, Bella..."

"It's their thoughts. I know, handsome," I soothed him, running my fingers through his hair. "Nothing they could possibly imagine could come close to my own daydreams," I purred against his lips that twitched up into his sexy, crooked half-smile.

"Yeah, but yours..." He sighed, his eyes glazing over. "Those are memories, my beautiful girl."

"Why, yes... Yes, they are. Huh... How 'bout that?" I stated with a sing-song lilt to my voice. "See? Much better than worrying about strangers..."

Edward grinned, tilting his head a little. "Perhaps," he hedged, though his eyes grew dark. "And just who's in _your_ group, love?"

I shrugged. "A couple of girls...and a guy," I muttered.

Edward's eyes narrowed dangerously. "A guy..."

"He's harmless, Edward," I groaned and sighed at the same time, thinking poor, poor Leonard had no idea what he was about to face in the library tomorrow. He was already a nervous, twitchy thing. It was why I'd pulled him into the group to begin with; his shyness was almost painful to witness.

"We'll see," he countered, a growl lacing his tone.

"Edward Cullen, don't you dare scare that boy! He's harmless. I promise," I vowed, poking my husband's chest. "Look..." I ordered, showing him the memory of class as we'd separated into our groups and how my shield had pulled the awkward boy in.

His smirk was shameless, but he simply shrugged a shoulder. "Don't care. It's the nervous and twitchy ones you least expect that bury the bodies of beautiful girls in their mother's basement, Bella."

I rolled my eyes. "Unbelievable... I'm pretty sure I can handle an attack by little Leo, baby."

Edward laughed. "I know." He cupped my face, kissing my lips. "And I know we both have homework, but we need to head out to the pond, Bella. I'm not unloading four moving trucks. It's not happening."

"Uhh, me, either," I agreed fervently, standing up and taking his hand. "I have faith in us... Come on."

My husband smirked, listening as my thoughts got away from me, because in all reality, watching him build our home was amazingly sexy and somewhat satisfying to watch. He used every bit of strength and speed to do it, and I was pretty sure the shirtless thing was for my benefit. Though, how he thought we'd ever get anything finished with that in front of me for hours at a time was beyond me. There were some days I just...snapped.

"Eyes on the prize, sweet girl," he reminded silkily in my ear.

I sighed dramatically. "Okay, okay..."

~oOo~

**Winter...**

**EDWARD**

"This is such bullshit," Emmett muttered, slamming the moving truck door closed. He'd just dropped off the last of the boxes. "We all got delayed, so how in the blue fuck did you win, asshole?"

"Um...I didn't let Rose design my house?" I offered sarcastically with a cheesy grin.

He flipped me off before climbing into the cab, which made me laugh because not a bit of the soaping of his mouth by our mother had done any good. His cleaned-up language had lasted all of a single day, and at that point, Esme had given up. Although, she was debating using duct tape in the future.

There was another truck waiting for him at Carlisle and Esme's house to unload for Jasper and Alice. The truth of the matter was we had all run into hang-ups on our homes – permits, weather, access for electricity, and materials. Because Bella's and my house was the farthest out, access was a problem during bad weather. But in all honesty, Rose kept changing her mind on flooring, marble tops, colors, and on and on, until Jasper and I knew Emmett was the loser. We'd finally finished neck and neck just after the new year. Jasper had come in second when his roof tiles were back-ordered.

From the moment I'd seen Bella's idea when it came to our house, it was easy to put pencil to paper, easy to map out exactly what we both wanted. Neither of us wanted to ruin the small piece of perfection that we'd found while hunting that day, so we'd kept our house simple, using natural stone and wood. The result was something in which we were both very proud and happy. Esme had been a huge help, taking our idea and softening it all with the right colors and furniture. The end result was what Bella was mentally calling a fairy tale cottage.

Turning to look at it, I smiled. She was kind of right. It looked unreal against the mountains in the background, but it just fit against the background of the little pond and meadow. The front of the house was large windows, a porch that wrapped around to the side, and rough stone. Inside was high wooden beams, stone fireplaces, and a room specifically for music. Just like our home in London, we'd decided to house all the instruments at our place, simply because my piano was the main focal point of the front window. My girl wouldn't have it any other way.

The back of the house held a large deck that faced out toward our little pond and the Rockies. I'd yet to add the dock she wanted, but once the winter let up, I'd get it done. Almost at that thought, flurries fluttered down around me.

"Yo, Ed?" Emmett called after he'd turned the truck around. When I spun to face him, he grinned, pointing toward the house. "Looks awesome, dude. Like you and Bells combined."

Grinning, I waved a thanks to him. "Careful with this snow, Em. And don't forget tonight's open mic night in Missoula," I told him before he drove down the long driveway, and he stuck a hand out the window in acknowledgment.

I walked back in the house, kicking off my muddy boots at the front door. Gazing around, I shook my head. "Damn, baby... In a hurry or something?"

The giggle I expected echoed from our back bedroom, followed by, "Something like that."

She'd started unpacking almost with the first box off the truck, and it seemed while Emmett and I were unloading instruments, she'd been a busy bee. Books were already on the built-in shelves I'd put in the living room, their boxes broken down and stacked on the porch. Blankets I recognized from our London house were draped over the sofa, loveseat, and chair, and my girl had started a fire.

Walking to our bedroom door, I leaned against the frame and smiled when warm, happy, bright eyes met mine. Our room was a mix of everything just...us. It was soft, using the same bed as we had in London with the metal frame wrapped in iron vines. The bedding was soft, white, and inviting. The furniture was a honey color, and our clothes were already put away. And Bella had started hanging all our pictures.

"I can't help it. I'm ready be out of that stupid apartment. I missed our stuff," she gushed, handing me several empty boxes. "And...Mr. Cullen... We have a paper to write, not to mention be in Missoula later. So...yeah, get to work on that music room."

Laughing, I saluted her, dropped the boxes with the rest on the porch, and made my way into the room that she was leaving to me. Bella was right about the paper, but I knew it wouldn't take long to write. Our outlines were already written. A smile curled the corners of my mouth. School would always be nostalgic for us, but I absolutely adored learning new things with my wife. This time, school was completely different. And it was good. Really good.

Emmett's drums were set up in the far corner, though he'd be back to pack them up for tonight. I'd already mounted the brackets on the wall for all the guitars, so I went about hanging them up – the lowest being the most used. I set my keyboards up along the side wall next to another set of bookshelves that now contained more music than I ever remembered owning, but the collection had only grown when Bella and I got married. The furniture was already set up, but I straightened up, dropped more boxes outside, and finally faced the large ghost in the room.

I slipped the carefully wrapped covers off my piano, dropping them to the floor. Trailing a finger along its edge, I checked for damage, finding none. Shifting it more toward the center of the window, I lifted the top to check for broken strings. It was always treated with the utmost care when we moved, which was Bella's only demand, so I always made sure it was perfect. I tested the tuning, running a quick scale up the keys. God, I'd missed that sound; my keyboards didn't feel the same as the real thing. One or two notes were off key, so I bent over the side, tightening the wires.

"Edward?"

"Yes, love," I grunted from under the piano.

"Something broke in the move," she muttered, sounding upset.

I ducked out from under the piano top and turned to look at her. "Well, it was bound to happen eventually, sweetheart. What is it?"

She held up her box of letters, and I grimaced. The wooden box I'd found for her in Caribou was cracked on the top, the hinges snapped off. It was crammed with every note and letter I'd ever written her, including new ones.

"Oh," I sighed, walking to her. "Are they all there?"

"Yeah."

"That's all that matters, then, right?" I asked her, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear that had fallen out of the messy little knot on the top of her head.

"I know, but still... I thought I'd packed it safely in our bag, but I think it dropped," she explained, fidgeting with the latch.

I took the box from her, looking it over. "It can be fixed, you know. New hinges, some wood glue... See? It cracked down the grain of the wood." When her eyes focused more on the box than me, I cupped her chin, making her look me in the eye. "Or I can find you something new."

She shook her head. "I like that one. Can you fix it, really?" she asked, and I could see in her mind that she was putting every bit of her faith in me on this small situation.

It was always the little things that meant the most to Bella. She loved the house, but she really just loved having a place to surround herself with our things. She'd hated the apartment we'd rented in Missoula, simply because it never felt like "home" to her. She loved our pictures, our story, and every word I'd ever written her, and she'd loved that I'd given her something to house those words in. _Because_ I'd given it to her, she loved it, and therefore, she was sad that it could possibly be ruined.

"I'll sure as hell try, sweet girl. Promise," I vowed, setting the box on the table by the sofa.

"Please." She kissed my lips, turning to face the room. "Looks good in here, baby," she said with a smile, her eyes landing on the piano. "I guess I should be grateful it was just a box that was cracked and not this," she said with a snort, running a finger along its shiny, black surface. "It's good to see. It's been too long."

"It has," I agreed, guiding her to the bench and sitting down next to her. "I was just about to test it. Let's see if I tuned it okay."

She snickered, rolling her eyes. Her thoughts were wry, as she couldn't imagine that I couldn't tune it. But she sat quietly, letting me play bits and pieces of different songs to test it. When I looked over at her, she was gazing around the house, her thoughts blocked from me.

"I'm really lucky," she said with a giggle. "You took every idea and put it in here. I should thank you, Edward." Her voice was soft, sweet, and a little emotional.

"It's how we won," I teased her, nudging her with my shoulder. "I didn't have to deal with changing plans, color changes, or last-minute rooms being added on."

She grinned. "Yeah, that's awesome."

I pulled her to my lap, and she straddled my legs, wrapping her arms around my neck. Cupping her face, I said, "They say opposites attract, my love. And in some ways, we are, but in others...we're very similar creatures, Bella. This...we just want a place to call ours. That was really easy. The aesthetics were not important to me."

"Me, either."

"I know," I sighed contentedly, kissing her lips softly. "And that made giving you this place so very easy, my sweet girl. And you never have to thank me. Ever. You're my wife, and it's my job to provide a home for you. But this place is just as much my dream as yours. Understand?"

Bella's smile was warm and sweet. She kissed my lips softly, settling comfortably into my neck. "You know what I want?"

"Unfortunately, no. You're thoughts are conspicuously missing from my mind," I said with a chuckle, shaking when she laughed into my neck. "Thankfully, so are everyone else's."

She laughed again, pulling back to look at me. "I want to try that new bathtub, Edward. The paper can wait until tomorrow."

"Oh, hell yes..." I gushed, standing up from the piano bench and keeping her in my arms. I dropped kisses to her neck as her head fell back with her laughter.

The bathroom was much like the one in the cabin we'd rented in Maine. A large sunken tub was the center-point of the room, and I could see that my girl had already filled it up with fragrant hot water.

"Nice, Bella," I growled in her ear.

I took my time with her since we were forgoing the paper until tomorrow. I undressed us slowly, bathed her slowly, even dried her off slowly, and eventually, I loved her slowly in a bed we hadn't seen in quite some time. When it was time to load up the SUV with all the instruments, I didn't want to leave her arms, our bed, or our house. But I did, because this was going to be a huge test for Caroline.

She'd wanted so badly to see us play in public, so this would be her first test with humans. Of course, we'd all be there – Bella, especially – but as we pulled up to the main house, she was already outside, bouncing like Alice. She and Archie were to ride with us, the rest following in two more cars.

What Caroline didn't know was that Archie was planning to propose. And he looked about as nervous as a vampire could look without the ability to sweat. His hand was fidgeting with the box in his pants pocket, his teeth worried his bottom lip, and he'd pace a few steps before coming to a standstill. Caroline assumed he was nervous for her, but only I knew the truth, which he begged me silently to keep to myself. He was going to wait until we were all back here to do it, but the ring weighed heavily in his pocket as a reminder. Plus, he was afraid if he didn't hold onto it, he'd lose his nerve.

I gazed around at the main house. It was an insane home. The main portion of the house was built with glass and heavy wood, edged in brick. The front had a waterfall-type fountain that trickled down to a small pool. Several bedrooms, a formal dining room, and a sunken living room were just a glimpse of what was inside. Along the side in the same brick as the house was a separate four-car garage. The place was perfect for my parents. Not only did it give them, Archie, Caroline, Kevin, and Adrian enough room to live comfortably, but it had enough room to store all the vehicles that couldn't make it down long, winding dirt roads. Bella's Ferrari, our motorcycles, and Alice's Porsche were among them. Jasper had held up his end of the bet and brought them all here, where they would now stay.

The ride into Missoula was quick, the three cars pulling into the local pub. Carlisle, Esme, Archie, and Caroline went in the front door to save seats for everyone, while the rest helped us unload. So far, Caroline was maintaining just fine.

"Damn, I'm gonna miss Dwayne," Emmett chortled, shaking his head about the guy from the bar in New Brunswick.

"But not the way he smelled," Kevin and Bella muttered at the same time, wearing matching looks of disgust.

Laughing, I kissed my girl. "So true. Go ahead, love. We're on next."

She sighed, but nodded. She'd promised her brothers, as well as Caroline, that she'd sing..."just this one time." This was a younger bar than the one in Canada, aimed more toward the college crowd, so with careful discussion, we'd decided on two songs. Bella and I would sing the first, but the second was all about Kevin and Emmett.

As we set up the stage, I eyed my girl as she hummed softly to herself, pacing a little along the side wall. The song we were doing was an angry song, but she promised me it was okay. It was something that was merely a memory, but she did sound amazing singing it. When Caroline had requested "My Immortal" as a joke, my first instinct was to scream no – as was Jasper's. But Bella had declined softly and kindly, telling her she'd sing another Evanescence song instead. So she opted for "Going Under," which I'd be singing harmony with her, as well as playing lead guitar.

Once the stage was set, we were introduced, and the curtain rose, Bella turned to me. _This is just a song, Edward. It isn't the way I feel anymore. You know that, right?_

I smiled, shooting her a wink at always knowing what I was thinking. "Then kill it, baby..."

With a nod, we started together, with Emmett heavy on drums. Kevin was bass, and Jasper was the rhythm guitar on this one. Dressed in all black, my girl's looks, voice, and pain that came through her singing won the audience instantly, and from what I could see, Caroline was shocked.

My Bella worked the stage hard, teasing with Kevin and Jasper, but on the chorus, she'd come to me, sharing my microphone. Occasionally, she'd press her forehead to my cheek, giving me a look that was heated, loving.

When the song was over, she giggled, took her bow, gave me a sweet kiss, and joined everyone else at the tables.

Keeping the same guitar, I stepped back to allow Kevin the front stage. Rush's "Spirit of Radio" was a tough song to not only sing, but Emmett had his work cut out for him. However, that was what he wanted – a challenge.

Jasper took bass, and with a look to Emmett, I picked out the difficult beginning to the song. The very second that Emmett nailed the rough start, the crowd shot to their feet. The time changes were fun, the lyrics all about the radio and the strange sounds of new music, and when we were finished, we received huge cheers.

It felt strange not to be singing a song specifically for my Bella, but I resigned myself to do it another night. Or I could simply make it up to her at home later – a thought that made me smile to myself as I loaded the car back up.

"Dude," Jasper sighed, eying me. "What the hell?"

"Sorry." I chuckled, shrugging a shoulder. "I'll tone it down, brother."

"Normally, I can ignore it," he countered, shaking his head a little and wearing his wry grin. "But Archie's about to drive me insane. His emotions are all over the joint, overshadowing all your new little groupies out there..."

I growled, rolling my eyes at his taunting laugh. "You need to quit listening to Bella," I argued, pointing a guitar neck at him. "And Archie's...nervous..."

"Why?" he asked, but he froze, his eyes widening. "He's finally asking her!" he gushed in a whisper.

I grinned. "Yeah, so maybe...help him a little?"

"When?"

"Like soon...I think. Maybe tonight?" I guessed. "His thoughts are...erratic. Alice can't pinpoint them, either."

Once the cars were loaded back up, I picked up Bella's hand, giving it a kiss. "You were unbelievable, Bella."

She smiled, looking over at me, but her brow furrowed a little. "Thank you, but what aren't you telling me?"

Chuckling at the fact that she knew me better than anyone, I said, "I can't say. I've been sworn to secrecy. However, we have to stop at the main house before we go home. Carlisle wants a family meeting."

"But everything's okay, right?" she asked, squeezing our linked fingers.

"Oh, love...it's good. Don't worry. I'd tell you if it wasn't," I promised.

We all parked in Carlisle's driveway, but Bella and I laughed at Emmett when he scooped Caroline up into his enormous arms.

"You did good, kiddo!" he praised her. "How'd it feel joining the masses again?"

She giggled, nodding when he set her back down so we could step inside the house. "It felt...awesome!" she gushed. "I mean, I remembered everything – to hold my breath if someone smelled too strong, to move my shoulders to make look like I was breathing, and to not move too fast. But you guys were great!"

"It was a good night," Carlisle piped up softly as he watched us from his chair by the fireplace. "I just wanted a word with all of you before we separated for the night."

We settled around the living room, and I could see that he simply wanted to congratulate Caroline on her first outing and the rest of us for the completion of our homes.

"I've been with some of you a very long time," he started, his eyes meeting mine and then Esme's. "At one point, I never imagined that my family would ever be this big. Some of you, I changed, and others came to me later, but all of you have become so very important. You're my wife, my sons, my daughters. All of you are the key to protecting what we believe in, the essence of good and right and loyal. I just... All of you worked together like a team, a flawless machine to get us here, and to see each and every one of you flourishing... Well, that means so much to me. I just wanted to thank you all for handing me a life that I never thought I'd have."

My brow wrinkled at his emotions because he hadn't been sure we'd be able to stick together, but we'd found a way. Bella curled into me, and I wrapped my arms around her, pressing kisses to the top of her head.

Carlisle stood up, smiling around the room. "I also wanted to congratulate those of you that moved into your homes today," he said with a chuckle when Emmett and Jasper high-fived. "That and a well-done to Caroline for her first time out in public," he proclaimed with a wink her way. "Anyway, I'll let you get back to your unpacking and settling in. I just wanted to let you know that I foresee an amazing few years here..."

Archie stood up. "I... Umm... I need to say something, Carlisle," he said nervously, and Jasper and I grinned at each other.

"The floor is yours, son," our father stated, sitting down next to Esme, but his eyes locked with mine.

I simply shook my head.

Archie looked every bit like he'd be sweating bullets if he were capable. But he had more on his mind than the hard question he intended to ask.

"Since you're all here," he started softly, his nose wrinkling a little. "I just... Well, I needed to thank you, too. All of you." He sighed, letting out a deep breath. "I've been alone a long time. And most of that time was spent...not myself. I never imagined when Victoria changed me that there was this out there for me." He gestured around the living room, but he meant new places, as well as a big family. "I owe you all so much for saving me from what I thought was the only way to live. Many days, I think back and wonder what if you had picked another house, another city, another state...and I know I'd still be right there...in that dirty basement, barely aware of my own name."

"Oh, sweetheart..." Esme sighed, starting to go to him, but he smiled at her and held up a hand.

"This family is amazing, and I owe each of you a debt of gratitude for getting me here," he stated firmly, like it wasn't to be argued. His hand went to his pocket, and his eyes locked onto Caroline, who was an emotional mess by this point because she agreed with him about our unique family. "But I owe another thank you..."

He fell to one knee in front of his girl, which caused coos to echo out of each and every woman in the house.

"I need to thank you," he told her, his hands shaking as he picked up her own. "For putting up with me, for forgiving me, and for simply showing up at the door one day. I've made you promises, and I haven't forgotten them, Carrie. I just... I wanted to give you time to settle in, to grieve over your father, and to get used to this crazy household..."

We all laughed at him, but he shook his head, wearing a small smile. However, Caroline's hand was covering her gaping mouth.

"I know that it's not...modern, but there's nothing I want more than to tie myself to you, to make you mine in every way." He brought out the ring, looking up at her with a fragile expression on his face. "You said once that you wanted a love that would never fade away. I promise that'll never happen. I'll love you just as much in a hundred years as I do right now. Caroline, will you marry me?"

Every girl in the house – plus Kevin and Adrian – was chanting "say yes!" in their head, and I buried my smile into Bella's sweet-smelling hair.

However, Caroline couldn't speak, so she opted to nod vehemently, launching herself into his arms.

_They won't wait long_, Alice thought to me, showing me that the wedding would be soon – spring, it looked like.

I shot her a smile but then rolled my eyes when thoughts of planning another wedding consumed her.

"Oh hell, Alice," I groaned, shaking my head, which made Bella giggle.

Archie swung Caroline up into his arms and set her back down, and that was when the whole family descended upon them with congratulations – hugs from the guys and kisses from the girls.

When Archie got to Carlisle, he said, "I'd like it here...and I'd really like it if you performed it. If you're willing."

Carlisle's eyebrows shot up, unable to hide his surprise, but he clapped Archie on the shoulder. "We'll see what we can do. Okay, son?"

Archie smiled and nodded. "Okay." He turned to me. "And I'd really like it if you'd be my Best Man."

Grinning, I nodded. "Archie, I'd be honored."

~oOo~

**Spring... **

**BELLA**

The professor droned on and on, but I wasn't listening to a word he said. Why he expected anyone to pay attention on the day before spring break, I had no idea. My thoughts were shielded from the man sitting next to me. His elegant fingers were wrapped around a pen, jotting notes like he always did. Knowing Edward, though, his mind was in several different directions – music, the wedding tomorrow, our guests arriving...and most likely, me.

I bit the inside of my cheek as Edward slipped down in his desk just a little, his long legs spreading out to accommodate the desk in front of him. He was so tall that sometimes, he had to fold himself into a chair. Denim clung to thighs, muscles rolled on his forearm as he continued to write, and his other hand shot to his hair. My eyes swept the classroom, and yeah, I wasn't the only one lost to him. Only I had the satisfaction of knowing his heart belonged to me.

I gazed out the window into the cloudy day. Tomorrow – the day of Archie and Caroline's wedding – was supposed to be sunny. Today, not so much. The two of them decided to get married quickly, which rocked poor Alice's world when it came to planning, but she'd managed to pull it off. Since neither of them were seen in public much, there weren't to be any human guests, save one. Charlie. However, some of our old friends would be joining us for the nuptials. Marcus, Demitri, Carina, Catherine, and Brandon were all coming. They'd all taken an interest in not only Archie and his rough start, but to how we'd pulled off this last move.

My head shot up when Edward sighed deeply, his heavy brow furrowing. With another quick glance around, I saw the problem. Lily. The girl couldn't keep her eyes or her thoughts to herself. Ever. I understood it, but it made Edward uncomfortable. A quick shift of my shield, and he relaxed, dropping the pen to play with my fingers. He also fiddled with my wedding ring, and that made Lily frown and face the front of the classroom again. It was a subtle marking of my territory, but it worked nonetheless.

Professor Billings finished up, wishing everyone a safe spring break, and I smiled up at Edward.

"Ready, handsome?" I asked him. "Don't you have strip clubs to see and bucks to tuck?"

"Shut up, Bella," he snorted, rolling his eyes. "As if Jasper could handle a strip club... He'd probably spontaneously combust under that much creepy lust. And Archie would be mortified at the sight of one."

Giggling, I packed up my things. "Just kidding...geez!"

My husband laughed, standing and slinging both our bags to his shoulder, but his free arm wrapped around my shoulders as we made our way out of the classroom and through the hallways. Suddenly, I knew that when we made it to the parking lot, Emmett would be there to take Edward from me, and we'd be separated.

"Hey, hey," Edward soothed, stopping us just out front. He shook his head. "Not for long. We planned it so that it wouldn't be an issue. We'll be back together tonight. We'll separate tomorrow just to get ready for the wedding, and then we'll stay in once it's all over."

"I know, I know..." I chanted, but it was the pain I hated more than anything. The punch to my chest that felt like nothing would ever be okay again. "You're not going far tonight, right?"

"Not if I can help it," he vowed. "And you girls are staying in?"

"Yeah, at our house," I told him with a nod. "Esme was taking Caroline hunting today...like now, but then we're all meeting at our house to have a girls night in. When you boys are done, you'll come there." There were girly movies and the painting of toes in my future, I was sure of it.

"Okay. I want you to text or call if you need. Understand me?" he confirmed, but this plan was already cemented with everyone. Our family was aware that this was a touchy few hours, but everyone agreed that Archie and Caroline should observe _some _traditions.

"Yup," I sighed forlornly, gazing up at him.

He reached into his pocket and handed me the keys to the Volvo SUV. "Good. I love you, and I'll see you in a few hours. You girls have fun," he said with a chuckling kiss to my forehead.

"Love you, too," I told him with a smile.

A horn honked, and we both waved to Emmett. However, Edward turned back to me, his mouth curled up into a sexy half-grin.

"Oh yeah, and thanks for the Lily thing," he snorted, kissing my lips.

"Do I want to know?"

"Nope." He laughed, shooting a wink my way as he dragged his tongue along his bottom lip. "Just know you're better at it. I mean...really, _really _good at it..."

"Oh," I gasped, narrowing my eyes at him, and he turned to walk to Emmett. "Edward Cullen... You can't...say shit like that and then hop into Emmett's truck!"

He was still laughing at me when the door closed on the Ford.

~oOo~

A wedding reception for immortals was an entirely different affair. It was different than my own wedding that had been a mix of both human, vampire, and wolf guests. Archie and Caroline's only had one human guest, and Esme had fed Charlie well.

It had been a beautiful, simple wedding. Carlisle had stood before them, looking handsome and refined as he quoted scriptures and said prayers. Edward had handed over the rings proudly, giving a tuxedo a whole different level of sexy. I'd stood as Maid of Honor, and I was glad to do it. Esme had been an emotional mess because to her, she felt like the mother of both the bride and the groom.

I nudged Marcus's shoulder, smirking at him. "Now see? _This_ is the sort of thing that should bring you around more often. Not emergency calls."

"Ah, _amore_," he crooned, his Italian accent lilting around me. "This is the type of thing I wish I saw more often." His sweet smile fell a little. "That's an interesting color of purple you're showing me, Isabella." His eyes shot across the backyard of the main house to look at Edward.

"I know," I told him, kissing his cheek. "It'll all be remedied as soon as the happy couple leaves on their honeymoon."

"And where are they off to, little one?" Demitri asked, joining us at the edge of the yard, and I hugged Carina.

"Isle Esme," I said with a giggle. "Carlisle and Esme are going with them, but they're staying on the mainland."

"That must be some island," Charlie chortled, shaking his head.

"It is," I sighed, linking my arm through his. "You should go. Carlisle and Esme have told you more than one time that you and Sue were welcomed to stay there."

"Maybe...after I retire," he said, eying me for my reaction. He grinned when my mouth gaped open. "It's time, Bells. Plus, I busted Jake following me not too long ago when I got a late-night domestic disturbance call. He wouldn't say whether it was you or Sue, but then I figured it was probably both of you."

Smiling, I shrugged, unapologetic for keeping him safe. "What will you do now?"

"Fish, kiddo. Billy's more excited about the prospect than I am," he said with a chuckle. "We're gonna teach Izzie and Eddie."

"Good! It's how it should be," I huffed with a firm tone.

"I'm glad to know I'm not the only man she bosses around," Marcus murmured wryly.

Several men laughed, including the sexy one I didn't expect.

"She enjoys it too much to put a stop to it," Edward said, kissing the side of my head. "They're getting ready to leave, sweet girl."

We all followed the newlyweds to the car out in the driveway, and Carlisle and Esme took the front seat. With hugs, kisses, and a few dirty jokes that Esme didn't hear, Archie and Caroline dove into the back seat. They looked so happy and a little nervous, but they simply fit together. More importantly, they fit with everyone around us. We'd come a long way from haunted houses and ghost-like minds.

Rolling my eyes at the really expensive – and unused – shoes that were tied to the back of the car, I finally looked up at Charlie.

"Can you stay?"

He shook his head. "No, Bells. I've got a flight out tonight. I'm turning in my retirement when I get home."

"'Kay." I pouted, but kissed his cheek. "Love you, Dad. Call me when you land."

"Love you, too." He turned to Edward, shook his hand, and gave him a one-armed hug. "Good to see you, son. Jake extends an invitation for a visit to the rez."

"Tell him thank you, sir," Edward replied, giving him a single nod and linking our fingers together.

A few more hugs, a few more goodbyes and promises to visit again, and Edward tugged me toward the edge of the backyard.

"Race you home," I told him, taking off with a laugh.

Edward let me win, but I saw why once I made inside our house and into our room. Sitting in the middle of the bed was my box of letters. It was repaired perfectly, and on top was a folded piece of paper.

_My beautiful wife,_

_Do you remember our wedding? Of course you do. I've seen your memories lately with Archie and Caroline's big day looming closer. You remember it so differently than I do, though._

_You saw it as a turning of a page in our lives, and while that may have been true, I saw it as a way to show the world that we were one, that we were made to be together. It was my way of binding myself to the one perfect thing that I could not live without. I'd vowed to you in a letter much like this one that I'd never run from you again. And I haven't. I've tried my best to give you everything that you ever wanted, even the tiniest of whims. And it's been the best years of my very long life, my love._

_You were nervous that day. It radiated throughout the house, but it all ebbed away the moment our eyes met as Charlie walked you down the aisle. It was _right then_ that I knew that no matter what we did, where we moved, or what difficulties we faced, we'd do it together...as a team. As Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen. And we have. You are my perfect and most cherished partner, no matter what we've faced._

_Nothing I've ever witnessed, experienced, or seen through others' minds prepared me for you. Nothing. And somehow, that made it all worthwhile. I may have been around a long time when I met you, but all those years erased at the sight of your beautiful face. I was lost, confused, and completely yours. I was truly seventeen again and totally at your mercy. Where I should have fallen at your feet and given in, I didn't. It's a mistake I live with every day of my existence, but your open heart, eternal love, and never-ending forgiveness makes me a better man. It makes me grateful. So very, very grateful._

_My sweet, sweet girl, I want to thank you. You'll never understand just how much your love, your support, your constant protection means to me. I want to thank you for the eight, almost nine years of marriage, for giving me all of your heart, body, and mind, and for giving me back something that I thought was long gone – my soul. You've given my life meaning and purpose and a happiness that I can't even express in words – neither written, nor verbal._

_You're everything I ever wanted and some things I didn't know I needed._

_I thanked Carlisle when we were back in Maine for giving me a life that I'd hated in the beginning, but I thanked him for saving me...for you. You're right, my Bella. I was yours the day I was born in 1901, yours the day I was changed in 1918, and yours the moment you stepped into biology in 2005. I waited. I waited, not knowing that my reward would overshadow any possible daydream I could come up with in my lacking imagination._

_I'm leaving this letter with the rest of the words I've ever given you. The box is as good as new once more, but much like us, it was broken and has been put back together again. It's what's inside that means the most. It's my broken heart laid out for you when I left, it's my vows to never, ever do that again, and it's my love expressed in teases, prose, and endless descriptions of your beauty, your body, your mind. It's all the ways I truly, unequivocally love you. And just like me, these words are surrounded by a protection that has and can be broken._

_I vow to you, Bella... It will never happen again._

_I love you, Mrs. Cullen. I love you more and more each day, with a love that never stops growing. I love to watch you thrive in this life, to revel in us, and to accept each new day with a smile and a sweet laugh. That, to me, made waiting for you worth every minute. And I will continue to love you until the end of time._

_Always,_

_Edward_

I dropped the note onto the bed and turned to face him. He was casually leaning in our bedroom doorway, his hands deep in his pockets, like he was fighting with himself to just reach out and touch. He gazed up at me through his long, beautiful eyelashes, looking a bit shy.

"Thank you," I whispered, my brow furrowing at just how _much_ I was thanking him for – the list was endless. I was grateful that he even existed, so things like broken boxes, a new home, his utter, angelic devotion and protection seemed insignificant in comparison.

Just his written words had caused the reconnection of our separation to heal a little, but the electricity that surrounded us edged up a notch. It was fusing us back together, meshing our souls, and cementing our love.

"For what, love?" he asked, walking slowly to me, his eyes darkening with each step taken.

Smiling, I kissed his lips. "For everything, Edward. Just...everything."

* * *

**A/N... **Sniff, sniff** That's all she wrote. There were so many things, like I said, that I wanted to touch on for the ending. But mostly, I wanted to end it here. Right there... Where they were accepting of every step they'd taken.**

**Before you ask...and before you say it... No...Dirty Edward will never be revealed. That bet will never be cleared up, and I'll tell you why. Edward told Bella in this fic that it was a part of them, a part of their foreplay, so to speak. Look, girls talk more than men. They discuss way too much probably, but I know that most women – because I do it – keep a few things to themselves. There are some things that are private and personal and to tell them to someone else would ruin the magic of it all. Maybe it's the way a kiss feels when you know it'll lead to more, or the way he smiles from across the room, or even the way he holds you when it's all said and done. But you know there's _something_ that you keep for yourself. That's what DE is here. That perfect, private, inside tidbit that will forever remain just Bella's. Okay?**

**Last additions to the playlist:**

"**Going Under" by Evanescence**

"**Spirit of Radio" by Rush**

**Here come the thank yous:**

**I truly need to thank JenRar first and foremost. Without her, this plot wouldn't exist. It started as a quick email from me that said, "I feel like writing something dark and creepy." LOL That's it. That's all it took. XD Several thousand emails later – something that just proves the two of us never shut the hell up – we're here. And I need to thank her for not only clearing up all my mistakes but for every single push, shove, and "you got this" aimed my way. Despite the fact that we've never met face to face, Jenny, you have become one of my best friends. Thank you. Love you...with a sickness. MWAH!**

**To my pre-readers, GooberLou and inkedupmom... I love you both, and I can't tell you enough just what it means when I text either of you going... "I need to pick your brain, dammit!" LOL If we can't get together soon, I'm going to have one or both of you kidnapped. No lie. No exaggeration. ;) Thank you for your pushing, your ability to say, "Uhh, no. That'll suck." LOL Love you both.**

**And to my readers: THANK YOU! Please know that I read each and every review. I love them all. I can't tell you how much it means to me when you beg for more...more Angelward, more Mercward, more ANYTHING, PLEASE! ;) Thank you for taking this last journey with our fave vamps. And know that I'm not going anywhere, that I'll be back soon with something...I just can't say what.**

**Lastly...OUTTAKES... Okay, so the votes are leaning heavily toward the Cave/Storm outtake. Though, some of you are voting both. LOL That wasn't the question! :D But I get it. I'll work on that outtake soon enough. Just put me on alert, because it'll go into the _Angel Dust_ outtakes on my profile. Okay?**

**With a heavy yet very thankful heart, I click "Complete" on Angelward for the last time. And I thank all of you again and again. I'll be back soon. Until then... Mooches, Deb :)**


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